Convicted Murderer Sentenced to Almost 5 Years in Federal Prison for Possessing Firearms
Ocala, Florida – Senior United States District Judge John Antoon II has sentenced Christopher Richard Munroe (55, Ocala) to four years and nine months in federal prison for possessing a firearm as a convicted felon. Munroe had pleaded guilty on March 20, 2023.
According to court documents, on November 14, 2022, the Ocala Police Department and the Marion County Sheriff’s Office responded to a call from the owner of a moving company, who reported that Munroe had stolen three firearms while packing a residence for customers. When officers arrived on the scene, they found Munroe crouched down in some nearby bushes. The officers located the stolen firearms, seven ammunition magazines, and ammunition where Munroe had been hiding. Munroe had previously been convicted of second-degree murder in New York. He was released on parole in 2018. As a convicted felon, he is prohibited from possessing a firearm or ammunition under federal law.
This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the City of Ocala Police Department, and the Marion County Sheriff’s Office. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Belkis H. Crockett.
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.
