Tampa man who allegedly brandished gun at driver sentenced for firearms charges

Florida – A Tampa man has been sentenced for firearms charges after allegedly brandishing a gun at the driver of another vehicle, according to an announcement by the United State Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Florida.

U.S. District Judge Steven Merryday sentenced Karey Tyrone Taylor II, 42, of Tampa to five years and 11 months in federal prison for being a felon in possession of a firearm. The court also ordered Taylor to forfeit a firearm and magazine that were used in the offense.

Taylor pleaded guilty on May 13, 2022, the United State Attorney’s Office (USAO) said.

According to court documents, on January 2, 2021, Taylor brandished a firearm at a victim while she was driving on East Fowler Avenue in Tampa. The victim pulled into a nearby carwash, and Taylor reportedly confronted her.

Standing face-to-face, Taylor is alleged to have told the victim that if he had known or seen that she was “all that,” he would not have pulled a gun on her. The victim then told employees at the car wash what had happened, and an employee called the police.

Officers from the Tampa Police Department responded and interviewed the victim. The officers also reportedly located an SUV matching the description of Taylor’s vehicle. They found Taylor in the driver’s seat and detained him.

While searching the vehicle, the officers said they found a black Taurus .45 caliber handgun with one round of ammunition in the chamber and 14 rounds in the magazine. A DNA sample later obtained from Taylor for comparison reportedly indicated that Taylor’s DNA matched DNA found on the handgun.

Taylor had previously been convicted of a felony offense, including possession of a firearm as a convicted felon and distribution of controlled substances in the United States District Court for the Middle District of Florida. Therefore, he is prohibited from possessing a firearm or ammunition under federal law, the USAO said.

This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, as well as the Tampa Police Department. The Florida Department of Law Enforcement assisted with the DNA analyses.  It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Risha Asokan and Patrick Scruggs.