U.S. Attorney Roger B. Handberg | U.S. Department of Justice
U.S. District Judge Wendy Berger has sentenced Emanuel Toney Cuff, a 24-year-old from Jacksonville, to seven years and three months in federal prison for illegally possessing a firearm as a convicted felon. Cuff entered his guilty plea in September 2024.
Court documents reveal that on February 20, 2024, officers from the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office observed Cuff committing multiple traffic violations while riding a bicycle. During a records search, an officer discovered an arrest warrant for Cuff and subsequently arrested him. A search revealed that Cuff had a loaded .40 caliber pistol with a large-capacity magazine concealed in his waistband, along with five small bags of dipentylone, a small bag of marijuana, and $185 cash in various denominations.
Cuff has previous convictions for multiple felonies including armed carjacking, carjacking, and robbery by sudden snatching. Federal law prohibits him from possessing firearms or ammunition due to these prior convictions.
The investigation was conducted by the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. Assistant United States Attorney Elisibeth Adams prosecuted the case.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), an initiative aimed at reducing violent crime and gun violence through collaboration between law enforcement agencies and communities. The Department launched an enhanced violent crime reduction strategy on May 26, 2021. This strategy emphasizes building trust within communities, supporting community-based violence prevention organizations, setting strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring outcomes.
