Felon Sentenced to Nearly Five Years in Prison for Possessing a Firearm and Ammunition
Fort Myers, Florida – U.S. District Judge Sheri Polster Chappell today sentenced Romeo Lenell Battle (25, Lehigh Acres) to four years and nine months in federal prison for possessing a firearm and ammunition as a convicted felon. The court also ordered Battle to forfeit the firearm and ammunition used in the offense. Battle had pleaded guilty on April 13, 2022.
According to court documents, on April 22, 2021, deputies from the Lee County Sheriff’s Office responded to a residence in Lehigh Acres in response to a 911 call for service relating to a domestic dispute involving a firearm. Battle, a previously convicted felon and state probationer, was in the residence when deputies arrived. When deputies searched the residence, they found a loaded Glock handgun hidden under a bed. DNA analysis later revealed that Battle’s DNA profile matched DNA extracted from the firearm. As a convicted felon, Battle is prohibited from possessing a firearm or ammunition under federal law.
This case was investigated by the Lee County Sheriff’s Office, the Fort Myers Police Department, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Simon R. Eth.
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.
