Florida convicted felon sentenced for ghost AR-15 pistol

FLORIDA – A multi-convicted felon reportedly found to have a “ghost” AR-15 pistol has been sentenced to eight years in federal prison, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Florida (USAO) has announced.

Senior United States District Judge John Antoon II has sentenced Keo Ibua Mike, 29, Ocala, to eight years in federal prison for possessing a firearm and ammunition as a convicted felon. Mike had pleaded guilty plea on August 23, 2022, the USAO said.

According to court documents, on November 7, 2019, law enforcement officers arrested Mike on outstanding warrants at a house in Ocala that reportedly smelled strongly of marijuana. Investigators obtained a search warrant and said they recovered methamphetamine, crack cocaine, and MDMA from inside the home.

They also said they discovered three loaded firearms in the attic—a handgun, an AR-15 “ghost” pistol (with no manufacturer markings), and an AK-47 rifle. A photograph from Mike’s social media account reportedly showed him holding the AR-15 pistol hours before the arrest.

According to the USAO, DNA testing by the FBI later conclusively linked Mike to the firearms.

Mike’s prior criminal record includes a state felony conviction for aggravated assault with a firearm (2009) and a federal conviction for possession of a firearm and ammunition by a convicted felon (2014), the USAO said.

As a convicted felon, he is prohibited from possessing firearms or ammunition under federal law, the USAO said.

This case was investigated by the Ocala Police Department, the Unified Drug Enforcement Strike Team (UDEST), and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. It was being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Robert E. Bodnar, Jr.