FLORIDA – A Tampa felon is facing 15 years in prison after pleading guilty to possessing a firearm.
Demetrius Sanchez Mitchell, 38, pleaded guilty to possessing a firearm as a convicted felon, said United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg.
Mitchell faces a mandatory penalty of 15 years in prison, said Handberg. Mitchell has agreed to forfeit the firearm and ammunition traceable to his offense.
According to court documents, on July 2, 2022, officers with the Tampa Police Department stopped a vehicle being driven by Mitchell. During a search of the vehicle, officers reportedly located a loaded 9 mm pistol in the center console.
At the time of the stop, Mitchell had multiple prior felony convictions, including convictions for aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, robbery, carjacking, and being a felon in possession of a firearm, said the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Florida. As a previously convicted felon, Mitchell is prohibited from possessing a firearm under federal law.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Tampa Police Department. Assistant United States Attorney David P. Sullivan is prosecuting it.
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.
