Source: Office of United States Attorneys
Tampa, Florida – U.S. District Judge Mary S. Scriven has sentenced Terry Lavon McDonald, Jr. (32, Bradenton) to seven years and six months in federal prison for possession of a firearm or ammunition by a convicted felon, possession with intent to distribute cocaine and fentanyl, and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. The court also ordered McDonald to forfeit a Smith & Wesson firearm and ammunition, which were used in the commission of the offense. McDonald pleaded guilty on November 22, 2024.
According to court documents, on October 5, 2023, deputies from the Manatee County Sheriff’s Office executed a residential search warrant in Bradenton based on a series of controlled fentanyl purchases from another individual at the residence. At the time of the execution, McDonald was the sole occupant of a vehicle backed into the driveway. The vehicle was searched, and McDonald was found in possession of a loaded Smith & Wesson handgun, a digital scale, fentanyl, and cocaine. Prior to the offense, McDonald had been convicted of multiple felonies, including possession of cocaine with intent to sell or deliver, fleeing or attempting to elude a law enforcement officer, and carrying a concealed firearm. As a convicted felon, he is prohibited from possessing a firearm or ammunition under federal law. McDonald’s cellphone was recovered during his arrest and a search warrant was obtained for its contents. Multiple photographs were found in the cellphone depicting McDonald in possession of suspected firearms and narcotics, as depicted below.
This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Manatee County Sheriff’s Office. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Jeff Chang.
This case is part of the 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 our 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 for occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.