Four-Time Convicted Felon Pleads Guilty To Possessing A Rifle, Ammunition, Machineguns, And Silencers

Orlando, Florida – United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces that Lee Ann Roberts (43, Altamonte Springs) has pleaded guilty to possessing a firearm and ammunition as a convicted felon and possessing unregistered machineguns and silencers. Roberts faces a maximum penalty of 15 years in federal prison for possessing a firearm and ammunition as a convicted felon and up to 10 years in federal prison for possessing unregistered machineguns and silencers. Roberts must also forfeit the firearms, silencers, and ammunition involved the offense.

According to court documents, officers and agents with the Altamonte Springs Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives received a tip that Roberts was selling firearms, machineguns, and silencers out of a hotel room in Altamonte Springs and storing the contraband in a white sedan. Law enforcement located Roberts driving the white sedan. When questioned, Roberts admitted that there was at least one firearm in the vehicle and that she is a convicted felon.

Officers searched the vehicle and located a hunting rifle, two AR-platform receivers, three silencers, tactical gear, vests, magazines, and hundreds of rounds of assorted ammunition. The AR-platform receivers had been modified to allow fully automatic firing, making them machineguns under federal law.

(Machinegun receivers and silencers recovered from Roberts’s vehicle)

Law enforcement also searched Roberts’ phone and found evidence that Roberts had sold or attempted to sell several firearms, including many of the firearms which law enforcement found in her car.

(Image of firearms, magazines, and ammunition recovered from Roberts’s phone)

As a convicted felon, Roberts is prohibited from possessing firearms or ammunition under federal law. None of the machineguns or silencers were registered to Roberts in the National Firearms Registration and Transfer Record, as required under federal law.

This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Altamonte Springs Police Department. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Richard Varadan.

This case is part of the Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence for occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.