Ocala, Florida – Travis Antwan Yates (31, Anthony) today
pleaded guilty to possessing a firearm and ammunition as a convicted felon. He
faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in federal prison. Yates had been indicted
on August 14, 2019.
According to court documents, on June 27, 2019, Yates was
driving a vehicle with a suspended driver license. During a traffic stop, a
canine unit alerted to the presence of illegal drugs inside the car. When
officers searched the vehicle, they located a black bag containing cocaine, a
loaded handgun, a digital scale, a black cotton ski mask, several pair of black
gloves, and Yates’s wallet. Yates admitted that these items belonged to him and
that he cannot lawfully possess firearms because he is a convicted felon. A records
check subsequently confirmed that Yates has two prior state burglary
convictions from 2011.
This case was jointly investigated by the Federal Bureau of
Investigation, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and the
City of Ocala Police Department. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United
States Attorney Robert E. Bodnar, Jr.
This is another case prosecuted as part of the Department of
Justice’s “Project Safe Neighborhoods” Program (PSN), which is a nationwide
crime reduction strategy aimed at decreasing violent crime in communities. It
involves a comprehensive approach to public safety — one that includes
investigating and prosecuting crimes, along with prevention and reentry
efforts. 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.
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