Source: Office of United States Attorneys
Tampa, FL – United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces that Darrius Lovett (27, St. Petersburg) has pleaded guilty to possessing a firearm and ammunition as a convicted felon. He faces up to 15 years in federal prison. A sentencing date has not yet been set.
According to court documents, Lovett has numerous prior felony convictions, including felonious possession of a firearm. On November 2, 2023, the St. Petersburg Police Department Surveillance Unit located Lovett to arrest him on a felony warrant. The officer who located Lovett told him to get on the ground, but Lovett refused and ran from the officer. During a short pursuit, the officer observed Lovett toss a firearm from his right hand. The firearm was later located in the area of Lovett’s arrest. A witness, who was working in the area, also observed Lovett toss the firearm.
This case was investigated by Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the St. Petersburg Police Department. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Samantha Newman.
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 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 from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.