Hayden O’Byrne United States Attorney for the Southern District of Florida | The Florida Bar
A federal firearms licensee from Port St. Lucie, Florida, has been sentenced to prison for selling firearms without proper documentation. Michael John Pellicione, 76, received a 15-month prison sentence followed by one year of supervised release and a $7,500 fine. The sentencing was handed down by U.S. District Court Judge K. Michael Moore in Fort Pierce.
Pellicione pleaded guilty in December 2024 to five counts of failing to keep proper records of firearm sales, violating federal law under 18 U.S.C. Sections 922(b)(5) and 914(a)(1)(D). He was initially charged in September 2024 and indicted by a federal grand jury the following month.
Court documents revealed that Pellicione operated as an FFL doing business as Mike’s Gun Shop from his home. In April 2024, agents from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF) and Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) found that firearms linked to Pellicione's sales were recovered in Canada and Jamaica. An investigation determined that he failed to log at least six firearms into his acquisition and disposition record as required by law.
Pellicione admitted to taking pictures of used firearms dropped off by customers and sending them to other interested buyers without logging them or conducting background checks. He also failed to complete necessary ATF Forms 4473 or record purchaser information such as name, age, and address.
Federal law mandates that FFLs maintain detailed records of all firearms received or sold. This includes documenting the type of firearm, make, model, caliber, serial number, transaction dates, seller information, and buyer details.
The announcement was made by U.S. Attorney Hayden P. O’Byrne for the Southern District of Florida along with Acting Special Agent in Charge José R. Figueroa of HSI Miami and Acting Special Agent in Charge John F. Dion Jr. of ATF Miami Field Division.
The case was investigated by HSI Fort Pierce and ATF Fort Pierce Field Office with Managing Assistant U.S. Attorney Carmen Lineberger prosecuting.
Further court documents can be accessed on the website of the District Court for the Southern District of Florida under case number 24-cr-14055.
