Jason R. Coody, U.S. Attorney | U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Florida
Sincere M. Perkins, a 25-year-old resident of Tallahassee, Florida, was found guilty by a federal jury of possessing a firearm as a convicted felon and possession of a machine gun. The announcement came from John P. Heekin, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida.
U.S. Attorney Heekin stated: “Thanks to the outstanding collaboration between our local and federal law enforcement partners to investigate this case, and this successful prosecution by my office, our community will be made safer while this violent felon finds himself in federal prison. With this conviction, we take yet another step toward fulfilling the promise made by President Donald J. Trump and Attorney General Pam Bondi to Take Back America from the perpetrators of violent crime who have plagued our streets for far too long.”
According to evidence presented at trial, members of the United States Marshals Task Force located Perkins at an apartment in Tallahassee due to an outstanding arrest warrant. A search led to the discovery of several firearms, including a pistol that had been altered to function as a machine gun.
Ballistic analysis linked two recovered firearms to shell casings from an earlier shooting incident in Quincy, Florida. DNA evidence tied Perkins to both weapons used in that event. Additionally, a recorded jail call revealed that Perkins knowingly possessed the firearms despite his status as a previously convicted felon.
Sentencing is set for February 9, 2026 at 2:30 pm at the United States Courthouse in Tallahassee before Chief United States District Court Judge Allen C. Winsor.
The investigation involved cooperation among multiple agencies: Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives; United States Marshals Service; Quincy Police Department; Tallahassee Police Department; with support from the Florida Department of Law Enforcement. Assistant United States Attorney James A. McCain prosecuted the case.
This prosecution is part of Operation Take Back America—a national initiative aiming to address illegal immigration issues, dismantle criminal organizations, and reduce violent crime.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office also highlighted its Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) strategy by urging residents to lock their vehicles at night since unlocked cars are often sources for criminals obtaining guns in northern Florida.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Florida serves as one of 94 offices under direction from the Attorney General and provides access to public court documents through its website at http://www.justice.gov/usao/fln/index.html.
