Panama City Man Convicted of Possessing Firearm as a Convicted Felon

PANAMA CITY, FLORIDA – Late yesterday, a federal grand jury in Panama City, Florida, convicted Sammie Lee Underwood III, 22, of Panama City, of being a felon in possession of a loaded .380 caliber pistol. The verdict was announced by Pamela C. Marsh, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida.

At trial, the government presented evidence that, in May 2014, Panama City police officers were on patrol in the Glenwood neighborhood when Underwood, driving a white Chevrolet Tahoe, ran a stop sign. He then led the officers on a chase through the neighborhood. As officers finally approached Underwood’s still-moving vehicle, he jumped out and fled on foot. The driverless vehicle then collided with a residence on East 13th Court. Under the Tahoe’s driver seat, officers found the loaded firearm and baggies of crack cocaine, bath salts, and marijuana. Testimony from Florida Department of Law Enforcement Crime Laboratory analysts showed that DNA recovered from the firearm matched Underwood.

Underwood faces a maximum of 10 years’ imprisonment. Sentencing has been set for June 3, 2015, at 9:30 a.m. before the Honorable Richard Smoak at the United States Courthouse, 30 West Government Street, Panama City. The case was investigated by the Panama City Police Department, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and the Florida Department of Law Enforcement. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Gayle Littleton and Katy Risinger.

The United States Attorney's Office for the Northern District of Florida is one of 94 offices that serve as the nation’s principal litigators under the direction of the Attorney General. The office strives to protect and serve the citizens of the Northern District of Florida through the ethical, vigorous, and impartial enforcement of the laws of the United States, to defend the national security, to improve the safety and quality of life in our communities through the protection of civil rights, and to protect the public funds and financial assets of the United States. To access available public court documents online, please visit the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Florida website. For more information about the United States Attorney’s Office, Northern District of Florida, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/fln/index.html.