United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg has announced that Martez Manning, a 26-year-old resident of St. Petersburg, has entered a guilty plea for possessing a firearm and ammunition as a convicted felon. Manning could face a minimum sentence of 15 years to life in federal prison, though the sentencing date remains undecided.

Court documents reveal that Manning has prior convictions for seven felonies, including possession of cocaine, tampering with physical evidence, and five instances of sale or delivery of cocaine. Federal law prohibits him from possessing firearms or ammunition due to his status as a convicted felon. On January 2, 2023, Manning was found in possession of a Beretta model 21A Bobcat semiautomatic pistol and two rounds of CCI 22 long rifle ammunition.

The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the St. Petersburg Police Department conducted the investigation into this case. Assistant United States Attorney Samantha Newman is leading the prosecution efforts while Assistant United States Attorney Suzanne Nebesky is handling the forfeiture proceedings.

This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), an initiative aimed at reducing violent crime and gun violence by uniting law enforcement agencies with communities they serve to enhance neighborhood safety. The Department launched an enhanced violent crime reduction strategy on May 26, 2021, which emphasizes building trust within communities, supporting organizations focused on violence prevention, setting strategic enforcement priorities, and evaluating outcomes.