Quincy Felon Pleads Guilty to Gun Possession

Tallahassee, Florida - Eric Felton Cooper Jr., 36, of Quincy, Florida, has pleaded guilty in federal court to possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. John P. Heekin, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida announced the plea.

U.S. Attorney Heekin said: "Our brave men and women of law enforcement are fighting hard every day to keep our communities safe from dangerous criminals, like this defendant, and my office is prepared to aggressively prosecute these cases to hold those individuals accountable to the fullest extent of the law."

On January 18, 2026, law enforcement responded to a 911 call involving a firearm. While on scene, law enforcement learned that the defendant armed himself with a firearm during an argument with another individual. At the time that the defendant possessed the firearm, he was a convicted felon and could not legally possess a firearm.

Cooper now faces up to 15 years' imprisonment. Sentencing is scheduled for January 15, 2027, at 11:00 am before District Court Judge Mark E. Walker in Tallahassee, Florida.

The case involved a joint investigation by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives and the Tallahassee Police Department. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Joseph A. Ravelo.

Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) is the Department of Justice's nationwide initiative that brings federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement, prosecutors, and other public safety partners together to coordinate efforts to combat violent crime and make communities safe. Coordinated by U.S. Attorneys' offices in each of the 94 federal districts, PSN is tailored to particular communities to strategically address specific violent crime and public safety challenges. As a key component of Operation Take Back America, PSN serves a central role in the Department's commitment to make our country safe. PSN emphasizes three core principles: rapid federal response to violent crime and criminal offenders; strong, strategic partnerships among law enforcement at all levels; and accountability and deterrence through the prosecution of the most serious, readily provable offenses and other strategies. These efforts complement and strengthen President Trump's Homeland Security Task Forces, ensuring a comprehensive federal response to the most pressing public safety issues facing communities.

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.