Jacksonville, FL – Chief U.S. District Judge Marcia Morales Howard has sentenced De’Quan Franks (25, Jacksonville) to four years and six months in federal prison for possessing a firearm after being convicted of a felony. Franks pleaded guilty on December 18, 2024.
According to court records, in October 2023, detectives with the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office (JSO) observed Franks posting a picture of a Glock firearm on Instagram. JSO detectives located Franks shortly after the social media post and saw him with a pistol with a large magazine. Franks ran from the detectives but fell before he could get away. The detectives recovered a Glock 10mm pistol, loaded with 30 rounds of ammunition in an extended magazine, that Franks had in his waistband. The pistol was also equipped with a machinegun conversion device which would allow the semi-automatic pistol to fire in a fully automatic mode. At the time, Franks had a prior felony conviction that prohibits him from possessing a firearm or ammunition under federal law.
This case was investigated by the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Laura Taylor.
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.
Originally published at https://www.justice.gov/usao-mdfl/pr/convicted-felon-sentenced-prison-illegally-possessing-pistol-machinegun-conversion
