Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives

Tampa, Florida – United States Attorney A. Lee Bentley, III announces that a federal jury has found Demetrius Sharron Davis (33, St. Petersburg) guilty of being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition, tampering with a witness, and obstruction of justice. He faces a maximum penalty of life in federal prison. His sentencing hearing is scheduled for May 4, 2015.

Davis was originally indicted on May 13, 2014, for being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition. A superseding indictment was returned on October 21, 2014, charging him with the witness tampering and obstruction offenses.

According to testimony and evidence presented at trial, on October 27, 2013, Davis threatened the mother of his children with a loaded firearm. During the altercation, Davis said to her that the “kids are about to see you in a body bag” and that the “kids won’t have a mother or a father.” He made these statements while pointing the firearm at her as she held their four-year-old daughter in her lap. Davis had previously been convicted of a felony, and was therefore prohibited from possessing a firearm or ammunition under federal law.

As the original trial date approached in October 2014, Davis called his 10 year-old daughter, who had also witnessed him with the firearm and was scheduled to be a witness at trial. During the phone call, Davis attempted to prevent his daughter from testifying by telling her that “you don’t need to get on the stand 'cause that'll make daddy go to jail for a long time.” He also made further statements in an attempt to persuade her not to testify.

This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives and the St. Petersburg Police Department. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Shauna S. Hale and Adam M. Saltzman.

It 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 another example of ATF’s Frontline Strategy to impact violent crime within our communities.

###