Prior Felon Pleads Guilty to Firearm Offenses

Pensacola, Florida - Darin Leroy Vanness, 32, of Milton, Florida, pleaded guilty in federal court to possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. The plea was announced by John P. Heekin, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida.

U.S. Attorney Heekin said: "This is another successful prosecution under Operation Take Back America, through which we are devoting the considerable resources of the Department of Justice toward protecting our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Keeping our communities safe is accomplished by the excellent work of our state and federal law enforcement officers to keep guns out of the hands of dangerous criminals, like this defendant, and my office will continue to back up those efforts with successful prosecutions and federal prison sentences."

Court documents reflect that on November 14, 2021, law enforcement executed a search warrant at the defendant's residence in Milton, Florida, in relation to an aggravated assault investigation. In the defendant's bedroom, investigators located a .22-caliber rifle, more than 190 rounds of ammunition, 3D printers, a safe, and other firearm parts. Inside the safe, investigators located loaded pistols that were made utilizing 3D-printed lower receivers and frames, as well as more ammunition. As a previously convicted felon, Vanness was legally prohibited from possessing firearms or ammunition.

Vanness faces up to ten years' imprisonment.

The case involved a joint investigation by the Milton Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives. Assistant United States Attorney Jessica S. Etherton is prosecuting the case.

Sentencing is scheduled for August 27, 2026, at 1:00pm. at the United States Courthouse in Pensacola before United States District Judge T. Kent Wetherell II.

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 available 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.