Tallahassee Man Sentenced To Federal Prison For Possession Of A Firearm By A Felon

TALLAHASSEE, FLORIDA – Jaquez Quashawn Price, 25, of Tallahassee, Florida, was sentenced to 72 months in federal prison followed by three years’ supervised release for possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. The sentence was announced by Jason R. Coody, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida.

“The collaborative efforts of our partners in the Tallahassee Gun Violence Initiative continue to produce impactful results, and we will continue working tirelessly to make North Florida safer,” said U.S. Attorney Coody. “This sentence ensures that our community will be safer and sends a message that there are real and severe consequences for federal firearm offenses.”

On the morning of March 8, 2022, officer of the Quincy Police Department responded to a concerned citizen’s call regarding possible prowlers walking through neighborhood backyards.  Officers responded and contacted Price and another male, who claimed to be in the neighborhood visiting friends and looking for property they had lost in the area. Officers were aware that several days earlier, a vehicle had been abandoned nearby while fleeing from police, after which a backpack containing several firearms and a laptop computer were recovered. Officers believed that Price and the other male were likely searching for the backpack and weapons that had been discarded in that incident. Investigators checked Price’s identification and discovered he had a pending felony warrant, and that he was a convicted felon. Price was detained and during an officer pat-down, a .40 caliber handgun was found on his person. He was placed under arrest, for the warrant as well as for the firearm in his possession. Officers also identified a vehicle parked nearby occupied by a female who informed officers that she had driven Price and the other male to the neighborhood. Inside the vehicle, a 9mm handgun was found on the backseat floorboard behind the driver, where Price and the male had been sitting.

“This is a true testament to the partnership we share with all law enforcement authorities, which transcends across all levels, said Chief T. Ashley, Quincy Police Department. “We are committed to detouring criminal activity by proactively patrolling our communities and promptly responding to our citizens safety needs. Our citizens deserve to live free of the constant fear of gun violence in our neighborhoods. I appreciate the work of the United States Attorney Office, Northern District of Florida for prosecuting this case.”

Following his arrest, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms adopted the case for federal prosecution and conducted a follow-up investigation. It was determined that Price had prior felony convictions including Burglary of a Dwelling and multiple counts of Grand Theft.

Price was also documented as a member of a criminal street gang and on release and awaiting trial on multiple unrelated violent state criminal charges when the instant arrest occurred.

The case resulted from a joint investigation by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms, and the Quincy Police Department. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Eric K. Mountin.

This case is part of 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 from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.

As part of its PSN strategy, the United States Attorney’s Office is encouraging everyone to lock their car doors, particularly at night. Burglaries from unlocked automobiles are a significant source of guns for criminals in the Northern District of Florida. Please do your part and protect yourself by locking your car doors.

The United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Florida is one of 94 offices that serve as the nation’s principal litigators under the direction of the Attorney General. To access public court documents online, please visit the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Florida website. For more information about the United States Attorney’s Office, Northern District of Florida, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/fln/index.html.