Facing Up to 15 Years: Georgia Felon Jonathan Deon Morehead Convicted by Federal Jury in Tallahassee for Illegally Possessing a Firearm, Sentencing Set for January 28, 2027
TALLAHASSEE, Florida — The U.S. Attorney's Office for the Northern District of Florida announced that Jonathan Deon Morehead, 38, of Atlanta, Georgia, was found guilty by a federal jury in Tallahassee following a trial for possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. U.S. Attorney John P. Heekin announced the verdict.
Trial testimony revealed that on May 28, 2026, during an operation to locate possible victims of human trafficking, law enforcement initiated a traffic stop on a vehicle driven by Morehead, in which a female occupant was also riding. During a probable-cause search of the vehicle, officers found a loaded handgun in the center console.
Morehead tried to convince officers that he was allowed to shoot firearms at gun ranges in Georgia despite being a convicted felon. He admitted his fingerprints and DNA would be on the firearm but claimed it belonged to the female passenger. Evidence recovered from his phone ultimately confirmed that he had arranged the purchase of the firearm months earlier, in February 2026. Because he was a convicted felon, he could not legally possess a firearm.
Morehead faces up to 15 years in prison. Sentencing is scheduled for January 28, 2027, at 3:00 p.m. in the United States Courthouse in Tallahassee before U.S. District Judge Robert L. Hinkle.
The case was jointly investigated by the Tallahassee Police Department, Homeland Security Investigations, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Emma Schwan. U.S. Attorney Heekin said the Northern District of Florida has zero tolerance for crime and will continue pursuing dangerous criminals threatening community safety.
Source: GSM · USA (original Chinese edition)
Photo: 图：美国司法部总部大楼（资料图）。美国司法部官方照片，公共领域。 / The U.S. Department of Justice headquarters (file photo). U.S. Department of Justice photo, public domain.
