Department of Justice
For Immediate Release
Sarasota Multi-Time Convicted Felon Sentenced to Six Years for Possessing Firearm
TAMPA, Fla. — U.S. District Judge William F. Jung has sentenced Terrence Thompson (42, Sarasota) to six years in federal prison for possessing a firearm as a convicted felon. Thompson had pleaded guilty on June 28, 2023.
According to court documents, on December 9, 2022, deputies from the Sarasota County Sheriff’s Office (SCSO) received a 911 call about a disturbance involving Thompson at a residence near Lalani Boulevard and Bee Ridge Road in Sarasota. The SCSO Aviation Unit tracked Thompson from the residence and the helicopter camera recorded Thompson stopping his vehicle and throwing a small pistol-shaped object in the bushes near Crescent Ridge Road and Bee Ridge Road. SCSO deputies searched the area and located the loaded Bersa Thunder 380 pistol that Thompson had discarded.
Thompson was arrested a short time later. During an interview with ATF agents, Thompson admitted to being a convicted felon and possessing the pistol. He further admitted to discarding the pistol when the helicopter spotted him. As a convicted felon Thompson is prohibited from possessing firearms or ammunition under federal law.
This case was investigated by the Sarasota County Sheriff’s Office and the ATF. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys David W.A. Chee and Diego F. Novaes.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department of Justice launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities and measuring the results.
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