Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives

Jacksonville, Florida – U.S. District Judge Harvey Lee Adams today sentenced Sean Justin Owens (35, Jacksonville) to 15 years in federal prison for possessing a firearm as a convicted felon. A federal jury found Owens guilty on November 15, 2018. Due to his prior multiple felony convictions, he qualified for an increased penalty under the Armed Career Criminal Act. 

According to testimony presented at trial, Owens was found in possession of a firearm after officers from the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office (JSO) investigated his illegally parked vehicle. As the officers approached the vehicle, Owens quickly left the car and headed toward a nearby residence. When the officers checked the vehicle’s tag, it was not associated with any vehicle. As one of the officers tried to obtain the Vehicle Identification Number (VIN), he saw a firearm on the front console. Owens’s driver license was inside his vehicle, confirming his identity. In addition, an occupant of the home Owens had entered after leaving the vehicle confirmed that the vehicle belonged to Owens. 

At the time of this incident, Owens had multiple prior felony convictions, including three convictions for sale or delivery of cocaine, and therefore, was prohibited from possessing firearms under federal law.

This case was investigated by the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Ashley Washington.

This case was brought as part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program that has been successful in bringing together all levels of law enforcement to reduce violent crime and make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. In the Middle District of Florida, U.S. Attorney Maria Chapa Lopez coordinates PSN efforts in cooperation with various federal, state, and local law enforcement officials.

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