Reginald Duante Davis, 35, of Gainesville, Florida, was found guilty by a federal jury in Gainesville for possession of a firearm and ammunition by a convicted felon, according to an announcement on July 31 by United States Attorney John P. Heekin for the Northern District of Florida.
Heekin said, “If we are to be effective in our mission to eliminate crime, it is absolutely necessary to incapacitate chronic offenders – like these defendants – with robust prosecutions and strict incarceration. My office remains committed to aggressively prosecuting serial criminals to remove them from our streets and keep our communities safe.”
The conviction follows an April 12, 2024, incident when the Alachua County Sheriff’s Office stopped a vehicle for multiple traffic violations. Kelvin Wright was driving while Davis was the front seat passenger. During a probable cause search, law enforcement found a loaded firearm in the center console. Both Wright and Davis were prohibited from possessing firearms or ammunition due to multiple prior felony convictions. DNA evidence linked both men to the weapon. This marks Davis’s second conviction for this offense.
Wright previously pleaded guilty to possession of a firearm and ammunition by a convicted felon. Both men face up to 15 years’ imprisonment. The case was investigated jointly by the Alachua County Sheriff’s Office and the Federal Bureau of Investigation and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Christie S. Utt.
Sentencing is scheduled for October 20 at 11:00 a.m., before Chief United States District Judge Allen C. Winsor at the United States Courthouse in Gainesville.
This prosecution falls under Operation Take Back America, which aims to address illegal immigration, dismantle cartels and transnational criminal organizations, and protect communities from violent crime perpetrators as part of broader Department of Justice efforts such as Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN). PSN brings together federal, state, local, and tribal partners across all U.S. Attorneys’ offices nationwide with strategies tailored locally against violent crime.
The U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Florida covers 23 counties including Tallahassee and operates from courthouses in Tallahassee, Pensacola, and Gainesville; it enforces federal laws while collaborating with law enforcement through initiatives such as Project Safe Childhood, according to the official website.