U.S. District Judge Thomas P. Barber has sentenced Sammie Ray Sewell, Jr., a 43-year-old from Alexandria, Louisiana, to five years in federal prison for possessing a firearm and ammunition as a convicted felon. The court also mandated the forfeiture of the firearm and ammunition involved in the offense. Sewell had entered a guilty plea on September 16, 2024.

Court documents reveal that a detective from the Lee County Sheriff’s Office found Sewell at a Fort Myers hotel with a loaded pistol equipped with an extended magazine. At that time, Sewell had extraditable warrants from Louisiana and was already a convicted felon. Under federal law, felons are prohibited from possessing firearms or ammunition.

The investigation was conducted by the Lee County Sheriff’s Office and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. Assistant United States Attorney Mark Morgan prosecuted the case.

This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), which unites various levels of law enforcement with communities to reduce violent crime and gun violence. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched an enhanced violent crime reduction strategy for PSN focusing on fostering community trust and legitimacy, supporting violence prevention organizations, setting strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring outcomes.