Pensacola Man Sentenced To 76 Months In Federal Prison For Possession Of A Firearm By A Convicted Felon

Pensacola Man Sentenced To 76 Months In Federal Prison For Possession Of A Firearm By A Convicted Felon

The following press release was published by the U.S. Department of Justice, Office of the United States Attorneys on Jan. 14, 2020. It is reproduced in full below.

PENSACOLA, FLORIDA - A Pensacola man has been sentenced to more than six years in federal prison

after pleading guilty to possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. The 76-month sentence handed

down to Charleston Pierre Wiggins, 32, of Pensacola, was announced by Lawrence Keefe, United States

Attorney for the Northern District of Florida.

On April 29, 2019, Pensacola Police Department (PPD) responded to a shots fired report in

Pensacola, Florida. As a result of its investigation, PPD learned that Wiggins, a convicted felon,

and another individual with whom he had a dispute, exchanged gunfire. During the exchange, Wiggins

was shot in the leg. The PPD officers who located Wiggins followed a blood trail that led them to

the pistol witnesses saw Wiggins carrying as he attempted to flee the area. The officers determined

that the firearm, a Smith and Wesson.40 caliber pistol, was stolen.

“We will vigorously prosecute those whose actions recklessly endanger the public," U.S. Attorney

Keefe said. “This convicted felon chose to arm himself with a firearm and now he will pay the heavy

consequences for his actions."

The case resulted from the investigation by the Pensacola Police Department and the Bureau of

Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF). It was prosecuted by Assistant United States

Attorney J. Ryan Love.

“Reducing violent crime and protecting the public in the communities that we serve is a priority

for ATF", said ATF Special Agent in Charge Daryl McCrary, “we will continue to work vigorously with

our law enforcement partners to make sure those individuals who commit violent crimes are

prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law."

This case is part of Project Guardian, the Department of Justice’s signature initiative to reduce

gun violence and enforce federal firearms laws. Initiated by the Attorney General in the fall of

2019, Project Guardian draws upon the Department’s past successful programs to reduce gun violence;

enhances coordination of federal, state, local, and tribal authorities in investigating and

prosecuting gun crimes; improves information-sharing by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives when a prohibited individual attempts to purchase a firearm and is denied

by the National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS), to include taking appropriate actions when a prospective purchaser is denied by the NICS for mental health reasons; and ensures

that federal resources are directed at the criminals posing the greatest threat to our communities. The United States Attorney’s Office prosecuted this case with support from Project Guardian

partners, the Pensacola Police Department, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. For more information about Project Guardian, please visit:

https://www.justice.gov/usao-ndfl/pr/attorney-general-announces-launch-project-guardian-nationwide-strategic-plan-reduce-gun.

The United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Florida is one of 94 offices that

serve as the nation’s principal litigators under the direction of the Attorney General. To access

public court documents online, please visit the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of

Florida website. For more information about the United States Attorney’s Office, Northern District

of Florida, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/fln/index.html.

The year 2020 marks the 150th anniversary of the Department of Justice. Learn more about the

history of our agency at www.Justice.gov/Celebrating150Years.

Source: U.S. Department of Justice, Office of the United States Attorneys

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