Tampa Felon Sentenced To More Than 19 Years For Unlawfully Possessing Firearm

Tampa, Florida – U.S. District Judge Elizabeth A. Kovachevich has sentenced Reginald Hollie a/k/a Reginald Bedford (35, Tampa) to 19 years and 7 months in federal prison for possessing a firearm as a convicted felon. The court also ordered Hollie to forfeit the firearm that was used in the offense.

A federal jury found Hollie guilty on April 25, 2018.

According to testimony presented at trial, on the evening of September 23 and into the early morning hours of September 24, 2017, a friend of Hollie’s was ejected from a bar in Ybor City by the establishment’s security team. Hollie, a convicted felon, became angry, obtained a firearm, returned to the bar, and threatened to shoot one of the security officers. Officers from the Tampa Police Department then attempted to make contact with Hollie, and ultimately found him in possession of a loaded firearm.

As a previously convicted felon, Hollie is prohibited from possessing a firearm or ammunition under federal law.

This case was brought as part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program that has been successful in bringing together all levels of law enforcement to reduce violent crime and make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. In October 2017, Attorney General Jeff Sessions announced the reinvigoration of PSN and directed all U.S. Attorneys’ Offices to develop districtwide crime reduction strategies, incorporating the lessons learned since the program’s inception in 2001. In the Middle District of Florida, U.S. Attorney Maria Chapa Lopez coordinates PSN efforts in cooperation with various federal, state, and local law enforcement officials.

This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Tampa Police Department. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Rachel Jones and Simon Gaugush.