Convicted Felon Handed Prison Time For Possessing Loaded Firearm

Tampa FL

06 June, 2022

12:09 PM

Description

TAMPA, FL — A 29-year-old Tampa man is facing nine years, two months in federal prison for possessing a loaded gun as a convicted felon. James Williams III was also ordered to forfeit the firearm and serve three years of supervised release. Williams pleaded guilty on March 2. According to court documents, on May 5, 2021, Tampa police officers were conducting an undercover narcotics operation and saw Williams drive up to the house under surveillance in a black BMW with expired registration, and go inside. Officers had prior contact with Williams and knew that his drivers' license had been suspended. Shortly after, the officers saw Williams leave the home and get back in the BMW and drive away. The officers conducted a traffic stop and arrested Williams for driving while his license was suspended. When they approached the car, police said they immediately detected a strong odor of marijuana coming from inside the BMW. Officers also saw a leafy substance on and around the driver's seat and the center console of the car. During a search of the BMW, officers found a small plastic baggie with marijuana inside Williams' front left pants pocket, and a fabric backpack on the front passenger seat of the vehicle, next to where Williams had been sitting. Inside the backpack was a brown jar containing marijuana, a clear plastic baggie filled with a large quantity of marijuana, a half-filled box of unused clear sandwich-sized baggies, and a black and stainless-steel digital scale with marijuana residue on it. The marijuana weighed in at approximately 220.8 grams. In addition, police also found a black semi-automatic FN Herstal pistol on the floor at the base of the driver's seat. The pistol, which was easily accessible to Williams, was loaded with 19 rounds in the magazine, and one live round in the chamber. Forensic analysis later confirmed that DNA obtained from Williams matched DNA found on the firearm. Further investigation revealed photos of Williams posing with the firearm on his social media pages. The firearm had been reported stolen eight months before it was recovered from Williams. At the time of his arrest, Williams had been convicted of multiple felonies, including resisting an officer with violence, possession of forged credit cards, possession of marijuana, and being a felon in possession of a firearm, which made it illegal for his to possess a firearm or ammunition.