U.S. Attorney Roger B. Handberg | U.S. Department of Justice
U.S. District Judge William F. Jung has sentenced Benjamin Cedric Graddy, a 41-year-old resident of Tampa, to 14 years in federal prison. The sentencing follows Graddy's guilty plea on October 2, 2024, for possessing a firearm as a convicted felon and violating the terms of his supervised release from a separate federal criminal case.
Court documents reveal that on March 17, 2023, officers from the Tampa Police Department observed Graddy driving through Ybor City, Florida, without stopping at a stop sign. During the traffic stop, officers detected the smell of burnt marijuana and noticed white powder on the driver’s floorboard. A search of the vehicle uncovered a Glock 22 .40 caliber firearm loaded with 22 rounds in an extended magazine located in the center console. Officers also discovered dimethylpentylone intended for distribution in two containers within the vehicle, cocaine in Graddy’s pocket, a digital scale, and small plastic baggies.
At the time of this incident, Graddy was under federal supervised release due to a prior conviction for possessing a firearm as a convicted felon.
The investigation into this case was conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Tampa Police Department (TPD), and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF). The prosecution was led by Assistant United States Attorneys David W.A. Chee and Michael J. Buchanan.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), an initiative that collaborates with law enforcement agencies and communities to reduce violent crime and gun violence while enhancing neighborhood safety. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched an updated violent crime reduction strategy aimed at strengthening PSN through core principles such as fostering community trust and legitimacy, supporting community-based violence prevention organizations, setting strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring outcomes.
