OCALA, Fla. – A convicted murderer is facing up to 15 years in prison after pleading guilty to a firearms offense.
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Christopher Richard Munroe, 55, of Ocala, pleaded guilty to possessing a firearm as a convicted felon. He faces a maximum penalty of 15 years in federal prison. United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg made the announcement on Monday.
A sentencing hearing for Munroe is scheduled for June 15, 2023. He was indicted on December 20, 2022.
According to court documents, on November 14, 2022, the Ocala Police Department and the Marion County Sheriff’s Office responded to a call from the owner of a moving company who reported Munroe had stolen three firearms while packing a residence for customers.
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When officers arrived on the scene, they said they found Munroe crouched down in some nearby bushes. Officers reportedly located the stolen firearms, seven ammunition magazines, and ammunition where Munroe had been hiding.
Munroe had previously been convicted of second-degree murder in New York. He was released on parole in 2018. As a previously convicted felon, he is prohibited from possessing a firearm under federal law.
This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the City of Ocala Police Department, and the Marion County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant United States Attorney Belkis H. Crockett is prosecuting it.
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