Florida Man Sentenced to 18 Months for Firearm Offense

ALBANY, NEW YORK - Akeem Davis, age 31, of Brandon, Florida, was sentenced today to 18 months in prison for possessing a firearm as a convicted felon.

Acting United States Attorney John A. Sarcone III and Bryan Miller, Special Agent in Charge of the New York Field Division of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives ("ATF"), made the announcement.

As part of his previously entered guilty plea, Davis admitted that he drove from Florida to Latham, New York, to sell a privately manufactured firearm-often referred to as a "ghost gun"- styled as a sub-machine gun in exchange for $1,200. Davis could not legally possess the firearm as he had been previously convicted of a Kansas state felony drug charge. Davis also offered to sell machine gun conversion devices and firearm silencers.

Acting United States Attorney John A. Sarcone III stated: "Akeem Davis, a convicted drug felon, traveled across state lines to peddle a highly dangerous 'ghost gun'-a firearm that has no serial number and is virtually untraceable. His actions, fueled by blatant disregard for the law, are a reminder that this office will not tolerate felons who attempt to flood our streets with illegal, unregulated weapons. We will relentlessly pursue and prosecute individuals like Davis, using every available legal tool to ensure they face the full weight of the law. Our commitment to public safety is unwavering, and we will continue to dismantle criminal networks that threaten our communities."

ATF Special Agent in Charge Bryan Miller stated:"Those who traffic in illegal firearms - including machine guns and silencers - will be held accountable. These weapons pose a serious threat to our communities, and we remain committed to working with our federal and local partners to disrupt this kind of dangerous criminal activity."

United States District Judge Mae A. D'Agostino also imposed a 2-year term of post-release supervision.

ATF investigated this case. Assistant United States Attorney Matthew Paulbeck prosecuted this case.

Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) is the centerpiece of the Department of Justice's violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime. For more information about Project Safe Neighborhoods, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psn.