Department of Justice

Jacksonville, Florida – U.S. District Judge Brian J. Davis has sentenced Terry Lenard Shipman (48, Jacksonville) to five years and five months in federal prison for possessing a firearm as a convicted felon. Shipman had pleaded guilty in December 2022.

According to court documents, on February 5, 2022, an officer from the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office observed Shipman steal two alcoholic beverages from a RaceTrac gas station in Jacksonville. Shipman hid the beverages in his coat pocket and was confronted by the officer as he exited the store. Once detained, the officer retrieved the stolen merchandise from Shipman’s pocket, along with a Smith and Wesson .38 caliber revolver. At the time, Shipman had multiple prior felony convictions and had recently been released from prison for selling narcotics. As a previously 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 and the Jacksonville Sherriff’s Office. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney John Cannizzaro. The forfeiture will be handled by Assistant United States Attorney Mai Tran.

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.