U.S. District Judge Thomas P. Barber has sentenced Marquis Lamar Kitchen, a 38-year-old resident of Fort Myers, to two years and three months in federal prison for possessing a firearm and ammunition as a convicted felon. The court also ordered the forfeiture of the firearm and ammunition involved in the offense. Kitchen had entered a guilty plea on September 18, 2024.

Court documents reveal that on March 21, 2024, officers from the Fort Myers Police Department conducted a traffic stop after noticing a vehicle moving erratically. The vehicle eventually stopped after rolling slowly for several blocks. Officers instructed the driver to lower all windows and observed an individual moving from the driver's seat to the passenger seat while another person moved into the driver's seat. Upon requesting the occupants to exit, Kitchen was found seated in the passenger seat.

During this process, an officer noticed a pistol partially visible under the driver's seat floorboard. DNA analysis later connected Kitchen to various parts of the weapon, including the trigger and loading port. As a previously convicted felon, Kitchen was legally prohibited from possessing firearms or ammunition.

The investigation was carried out by both the Fort Myers Police Department 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), an initiative aimed at reducing violent crime and gun violence through collaboration between law enforcement agencies and communities. The program focuses on building trust within communities, supporting organizations that prevent violence, setting strategic enforcement priorities, and evaluating outcomes.