Convicted Felon Pleads Guilty to Unlawful Possession of Ammunition

Gainesville, Florida - DeShawn Russ, 35, of Jacksonville, Florida, pleaded guilty in federal court yesterday to prohibited person in possession of ammunition. The plea was announced by John P. Heekin, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida.

U.S. Attorney Heekin said: "Thanks to the outstanding investigative work of our state and federal law enforcement partners, this dangerous serial felon has been taken off our streets and he will face an extended federal prison sentence. This successful prosecution by my office is yet another win for the safety of our communities under Operation Take Back America, and we will continue to aggressively prosecute these cases to deliver the safe streets our citizens deserve."

Court documents reflect that the Gainesville Police Department responded to a shooting within a vehicle where officers found a bullet hole in the driver's window. Russ, who was known to the driver, was located nearby. Although no firearm was recovered, a .380 bullet was located in his pocket. Russ is multi-time convicted felon, and is therefore prohibited from possessing firearms or ammunition.

The defendant faces imprisonment for up to 15 years at sentencing. Sentencing is scheduled for June 16, 2026, at 1:00 p.m., at the United States Courthouse in Gainesville before Chief United States District Judge Allen C. Winsor.

The case involved an investigation by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives and the Gainesville Police Department. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Christie S. Utt.

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.