Florida 10-time convicted felon headed back to prison

FLORIDA – A Florida 10-time convicted felon has been sentenced to 15 years in federal prison for possessing a firearm, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Florida has announced.

According to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Florida (USAO), U.S. District Judge Virginia M. Covington Hernandez sentenced Christopher Deon Townsel, 47, of Sarasota, to 15 years in federal prison for unlawful possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. The court also ordered Townsel to forfeit a Hi-Point C9, a 9mm pistol, and assorted ammunition, which were reportedly traceable to the offense.

Townsel pleaded guilty on May 24, 2022.

According to court documents, on December 1, 2018, deputies from the Manatee County Sheriff’s Office were conducting surveillance at a hotel in Manatee County, looking for a fugitive. The deputies observed a vehicle pull up to the hotel, and a woman leave the hotel and enter the vehicle.

The deputies said they smelled marijuana coming from the vehicle as the woman opened the passenger door. The deputies approached the vehicle and ordered the driver to stop as the driver began to drive away. The driver stopped the vehicle, and deputies said they observed Townsel in the driver’s seat.

One of the deputies reported observing a black firearm on the driver’s side floorboard of the car. The deputy also observed bags of marijuana in the car, according to the report.

According to the USAO, a crime scene technician swabbed the firearm for DNA, and a DNA analyst compared Townsel’s DNA to the samples obtained from the grip of the firearm. Results of the test reportedly revealed that Townsel was a contributor from the DNA profile obtained from the grip of the firearm.

The firearm had previously been reported stolen, the USAO said.

Because Townsel had previously been convicted of several felonies, he is prohibited from possessing a firearm or ammunition under federal law.

This case was investigated by Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and Manatee County Sheriff’s Office. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Charlie D. Connally.