Ocala, Florida – Kwasi Francis (29, Ocala) today pleaded
guilty to possessing a firearm as a convicted felon. He faces a maximum penalty
of 10 years in federal prison. A sentencing date has not yet been set.
Francis had been indicted on July 10, 2019.
According to court documents, on May 7, 2019, local law
enforcement arrested Francis on unrelated criminal charges. While he was being
processed at the Marion County Jail, booking staff discovered that Francis had
concealed a loaded 9mm firearm between the multiple pairs of pants that he was
wearing. Francis, who has prior felony convictions for burglary and heroin
distribution, is prohibited from possessing a firearm or ammunition under
federal law.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation,
the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the City of Ocala
Police Department, and the Marion County Sheriff’s Office. It is being
prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Robert E. Bodnar, Jr.
Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) is the centerpiece of the
Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an
evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime.
Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the
most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive
solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement
efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based
prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime. 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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