Frank Jude Petrone, Sr., a former gun store employee from Parrish, was sentenced on April 2 to three years and one month in federal prison for trafficking firearms and selling guns and ammunition to a convicted felon. The sentencing was announced by United States Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe.
The case highlights the ongoing efforts of law enforcement agencies to prevent illegal firearm sales, particularly those involving individuals with prior felony convictions who are prohibited from purchasing or possessing firearms under federal law.
According to court documents, the Manatee County Sheriff’s Office informed the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) on October 2, 2024 that Petrone had been selling firearms to an individual he knew was a convicted felon. At the time of these transactions, Petrone worked as a salesperson at a licensed gun store. Between October 2024 and January 2025, he sold four firearms and 146 rounds of ammunition across four separate occasions to the convicted felon acting as a confidential source.
Specific incidents detailed in court records include an October 17 sale of a .357 Taurus International revolver with ammunition; a November transaction involving a Sig Sauer semi-automatic pistol; and two January sales—one including an offer for a machinegun with an obliterated serial number. On January 28, Petrone sold another firearm loaded with ammunition.
The investigation was conducted by ATF agents along with deputies from the Manatee County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant United States Attorney Adam W. McCall prosecuted the case.
This prosecution is part of Operation Take Back America—a nationwide Department of Justice initiative aimed at addressing illegal immigration, dismantling cartels and transnational criminal organizations, and protecting communities from violent crime.
