Gainesville Career Criminal Sentenced To 174 Months in Federal Prison for Firearms Offense

Gainesville, Florida - Tyrese Da'jon Jones, 26, was sentenced to 14 and a half years in federal prison for 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 violent career criminal has amply demonstrated that the only way we can stop him from committing further crimes and endangering our community is by keeping him locked behind bars. Thanks to the investigative work of our state and federal law enforcement partners, and the aggressive prosecution by my office, that is exactly what we will do. The safety of our communities is not negotiable, and my office will continue to fight hard every day to remove dangerous criminals from our neighborhoods and deliver the crime-free streets our citizens deserve."

Court records reflect that on July 2, 2025, the defendant held a co-worker at gunpoint inside her vehicle for several hours. When law enforcement arrived, the defendant fled on foot and pointed his firearm at officers before he was apprehended. At the time of his arrest, the defendant was a felon and could not legally possess a firearm based upon his multiple prior convictions for offenses involving drugs and guns.

"This sentencing is the result of outstanding work by our deputies and our federal law enforcement partners. On July 2, 2025, Tyrese Jones, a convicted felon who had no business possessing a firearm, held a female victim against her will at gunpoint and then pointed that firearm at responding deputies. The deputies involved were fortunate to escape without injury and were able to safely take him into custody before anyone was seriously hurt or killed," said Sheriff Chad Scott. "This was an extremely dangerous situation created by an individual who demonstrated a complete disregard for the law and the safety of others. Thanks to this federal sentence, a violent offender will remain off our streets and will not be able to threaten our community in the near future. We remain committed to aggressively pursuing those who illegally possess firearms and use them to victimize others."

The case involved an investigation by the Alachua County Sheriff's Office, Florida Department of Law Enforcement, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Adam Hapner.

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.