District Initiative Results In Gun Possession Charges For Volusia & Flagler Felons

Volusia and Flagler Counties, FL - According to the United States Attoney's Office for the Middle District of Florida (USAO/MDFL), multiple individuals from Volusia and Flagler Counties were charged and several guns were seized following an initiative aimed at reducing violent crime.

The Violent Crime Reduction Initiative has been in place for the last three months and has covered the Fort Myers, Jacksonville, Ocala, Orlando, and Tampa areas. Overall, 125 individuals were charged with violent and firearm-related offenses and 227 firearms were recovered. Three Flagler and three Volusia residents were charged and a total of 6 guns were recovered.

To accompany its nation-wide “Project Safe Neighborhoods" initiative, the USAO/MDFL introduced several local initiatives that coordinate local, state, and federal law enforcement. Some of those initiatives include:

• The Orlando District's "Gun Unit."
• The Jacksonville District's implementation of a State Attorney’s Office for the Fourth Judicial Circuit and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF) collaboration aimed at retrieving illegal guns and prosecuting offenders swiftly.
• The District-wide implementation of community outreach programs, especially geared towards youths.

“In August 2017, I directed every prosecutor in the Criminal Division to assist in the prosecution of firearm and violent crime cases,” said Acting U.S. Attorney, W. Stephen Muldrow. “Over the past three months, we have dedicated additional resources to the prosecution of violent crime and firearm cases. I would like to commend our local, state, and federal partners that have investigated these cases. Our community is safer because of their tremendous efforts. We pledge to continue to work with our law enforcement partners to aggressively prosecute these cases.”

Flagler County Charges

Johnnie Spydale Thomas, Jr., 24, of Bunnell - two firearms recovered

• Charges: One count of distribution of cocaine base and two counts of possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. Thomas faces up to 40 years in federal prison.

Serome Bell, 27, of Palm Coast

• Charges: One count of possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. Bell faces up to 10 years in federal prison.

Jason Dixon, 31, of Palm Coast - one firearm recovered

• Charges: One count of possession of a firearm by a convicted felon and three counts of distribution of cocaine base. Dixon faces up to 70 years in federal prison.

Volusia County Charges

Jose Luis Sanchez-Rosado, 43, of Volusia County - one firearm recovered

• Charges: One count of possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. Sanchez-Rosado faces a minimum of 15 years in prison up to a life sentence.

Frederick Hankins, Jr., 30, of New Smyrna - one firearm recovered

• Charges: On count of possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. Hankins faces a minimum of 15 years in prison up to a life sentence.

Thomas Porter, 39, of Daytona Beach - one firearm recovered

• Charges: One count of possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. Porter faces up to 10 years in federal prison.

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