Source: Office of United States Attorneys
Fort Myers, Florida – U.S. District Judge Thomas P. Barber today sentenced Sammie Ray Sewell, Jr. (43, Alexandria, LA) to five years in federal prison for possessing a firearm and ammunition as a convicted felon. The court also ordered Sewell to forfeit the firearm and ammunition, which were possessed during the offense. Sewell entered a guilty plea on September 16, 2024.
According to court documents, a detective from the Lee County Sheriff’s Office located Sewell at a Fort Myers hotel with a chamber loaded pistol with an extended magazine. At the time, Sewell had extraditable warrants out of Louisiana and was a convicted felon. As a convicted felon, Sewell is prohibited by federal law from possessing firearms or ammunition.
This case was investigated by the Lee County Sheriff’s Office and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Mark Morgan.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make out neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.