Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives

Tampa, FL – U.S. District Judge Mary Scriven has sentenced Damien Boatwright (23, Tampa) to six years and five months in federal prison for possessing a firearm as a convicted felon. Boatwright was also ordered to forfeit the Glock 26 handgun, large-capacity magazine, and ammunition used in the offense.

According to court documents, on February 23, 2022, Boatwright, a convicted felon, possessed a Glock 26 handgun with a large capacity magazine that held 24 rounds of ammunition during a recorded Instagram live video. As picture below, Boatwright was brandishing the firearm online while traveling in a vehicle in Hillsborough County.

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 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.

This case was investigated by the Hillsborough Sheriff’s Office and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Samantha Beckman.