Florida man with 26 felony convictions is sentenced for possessing firearm

FLORIDA – A Florida man with 26 state felony convictions has been sentenced to federal prison.

U.S. District Judge Charlene E. Honeywell has sentenced Terry Augusta Newsome, 34, of Tampa, to seven years in federal prison for unlawful possession of a firearm. The court also ordered Newsome to forfeit the firearm and ammunition. Newsome pleaded guilty on November 1, 2022.

According to court documents, on February 15, 2021, an officer from the Tampa Police Department observed Newsome driving a moped, failing to stop at a stop sign, and colliding with a bicyclist. The officer responded to the scene of the crash and called for emergency services.

When the officer arrived at the scene, he said he observed that Newsome and the bicyclist were both severely bleeding. The officer attempted to attend to Newsome’s injuries, but Newsome reportedly rose to his feet, clutching a firearm that he had hidden under his shirt. Additional officers that had arrived on the scene said they noticed a holster partially hidden under Newsome’s shirt.

The officers restrained Newsome and reportedly retrieved a loaded firearm from Newsome’s pants.

According to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Florida (USAO), at the time of the incident, Newsome had at least 26 prior state felony convictions, including three convictions for aggravated assault on a law enforcement officer, five for grand theft motor vehicle, nine for burglary, and one for armed robbery.

Because of his prior felony convictions, Newsome is prohibited from possessing firearms or ammunition under federal law, the USAO said.

This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Tampa Police Department. Assistant United States Attorney Charlie D. Connally prosecuted it.