Department of Justice

Tampa, Florida – U.S. District Judge Virginia M. Hernandez Covington has sentenced Tyrone Yancey (49, Sarasota) to 15 years in federal prison for possessing a firearm and ammunition as a convicted felon. The court also ordered Yancey to forfeit the firearms and ammunition. Yancey had pleaded guilty on March 27, 2019.

According to court documents, on August 21, 2018, the Sarasota Police Department, assisted by the Bureau of Alcohol, Firearms and Explosives, executed a search warrant at Yancey’s home. Inside, officers found two pistols, 50 rounds of ammunition, and various controlled substances, including cocaine base. Yancey admitted that the firearms, ammunition, and controlled substances belonged to him. Yancey, who had previously been convicted of multiple felonies, was prohibited from possessing a firearm or ammunition.

This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Sarasota Police Department. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Michael Sinacore.

This case was brought as part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (“PSN”). 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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