DOJ Seal

Department of Justice

U.S. Attorney's Office
Middle District of Florida

For Immediate Release

Wednesday, December 17, 2014
A. Lee Bentley, III
, United States Attorney
Contact: William Daniels

Fort Myers Felon Sentenced to Fifteen Years for Possessing Ammunition

Fort Myers, Florida – U.S. District Judge John E. Steele has sentenced Jerry Ward (48, Fort Myers) to 15 years in federal prison for being a felon in possession of ammunition. He was found guilty by a Fort Myers federal jury on June 12, 2014.

Ward was arrested following a confrontation with a Lee County Sheriff’s deputy, on June 14, 2012, during which Ward dumped the contents of a pillow case, including two rounds of .45 caliber ammunition, onto the deputy’s patrol car. Trial evidence showed that Ward had disposed of a gun upon seeing the deputy approaching in his patrol car. Ward was previously convicted felon at the time of the offense and was therefore prohibited from possessing a firearm or ammunition under federal law.

This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Robert P. Barclift.

This is another case prosecuted as a part of the Department of Justice’s “Project Safe Neighborhoods” Program - a nationwide, gun-violence reduction strategy.  United States Attorney A. Lee Bentley, III, along with Regina Lombardo, Special Agent in Charge, ATF, is coordinating the Project Safe Neighborhoods effort here in the Middle District of Florida in cooperation with federal, state, and local law enforcement officials. It is also a part of ATF’s Frontline Strategy to reduce violent crime in our communities.

 

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Tampa Field Division