Pensacola Felon Sentenced to Eight Years in Federal Prison For Possession of Firearms

Pensacola, Florida - Jason Wayne Coleman, 41, of Pensacola, Florida, was sentenced to eight years in federal prison for two counts of possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. The sentence was announced by John P. Heekin, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida.

U.S. Attorney Heekin said: "This serial felon has been a criminal menace to our communities for far too long, but thanks to the excellent work of the Escambia County Sheriff's Office with support from our federal law enforcement partners, he will now spend years behind bars where he belongs. This successful prosecution by my office is yet another win under Operation Take Back America, through which President Donald J. Trump and acting Attorney General Todd Blanche have directed the Department of Justice to deploy its full might toward removing violent career criminals, like this defendant, from our streets to deliver the safe, crime-free communities our citizens deserve."

Court documents reflect that the defendant, a multi-time convicted felon who is legally barred from possessing firearms, was out on bond after being arrested in Indiana for firearm-related charges in January 2022. On October 2, 2024, a deputy with the Escambia County Sheriff's Office was on routine patrol when he conducted a traffic stop on a vehicle driven by the defendant. The defendant attempted to flee on foot from the deputy, but was apprehended. In addition to having a suspended driver's license, the defendant was found to be in possession of a loaded .32 caliber handgun under the driver's seat of the vehicle as well as marijuana. The defendant was arrested but was able to bond out of jail.

On May 13, 2025, the Escambia County Sheriff's Office conducted a traffic stop on a motorized minibike being driven by the defendant. While arresting the defendant for driving on a suspended license and resisting law enforcement, deputies located a loaded .38-caliber revolver in his pocket.

The case involved a joint investigation by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives and the Escambia County Sheriff's Office. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Jessica S. Etherton.

This case is part of Operation Take Back America a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.

The United States Attorney's Office for the Northern District of Florida is one of 94 offices that serve as the nation's principal litigators under the direction of the Attorney General. To access public court documents online, please visit the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of FloridaLinks to other government and non-government sites will typically appear with the "external link" icon to indicate that you are leaving the Department of Justice website when you click the link. website. For more information about the United States Attorney's Office, Northern District of Florida, visit https://www.justice.gov/usao-ndfl.