Pensacola Man Sentenced to Over 17 Years in Federal Prison for Multiple Firearms Offenses
PENSACOLA, FLORIDA – Mario Antwan Brewer, Jr., 29, of Pensacola, Florida, was sentenced to 17 ½ years in federal prison for firearms offenses, after pleading guilty on December 17, 2021. The sentence was based upon two federal indictments stemming from violations of federal firearms laws in 2020 and 2021. The sentence was announced by Jason R. Coody, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida.
“Our law enforcement partnerships play a vital role in fighting violent crime and protecting the public,” said U.S. Attorney Coody. “This sentencing is another example that working jointly with our partners is making our communities safer.”
Court documents reflect that on December 28, 2020, a shoot-out took place between two vehicles at a gas station on the corner of Fairfield and North Davis Highway in Pensacola. Multiple discharged shell casings of 9-millimeter ammunition were left behind at the crime scene which were collected as evidence by the Pensacola Police Department. Thereafter, one of the involved vehicles was located in Alabama and linked to Brewer. On January 28, 2021, Brewer was located at an apartment in Pensacola along with multiple firearms. One of those firearms, a Smith & Wesson 9-millimeter pistol, ballistically matched the firearm that left behind the spent shell casings during the December 2020 shooting. That same firearm had Brewer’s DNA on it when seized.
“Today’s sentencing reflects the collaboration and partnerships required to combat violent crimes in our communities today,” said ATF Tampa Division Special Agent in Charge Craig W. Saier. “This case also demonstrates how ATF’s National Integrated Ballistic Information Network — or NIBIN — can help investigators link shootings and take violent offenders off of our streets.”
Brewer was again caught with a loaded firearm on August 27, 2021. This time, he was apprehended by the United States Marshals Service along with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and the Pensacola Police Department. Brewer was taken into federal custody at that time.
“Violent crime is impacting too many lives,” said Pensacola Police Chief Eric Randall. “Today’s announcement of this sentencing is another example of our commitment to hold accountable, those who commit violent acts in our community.”
The cases were investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the United States Marshals Service, and the Pensacola Police Department. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys David L. Goldberg and Jennifer H. Callahan.
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.
As part of its PSN strategy, the United States Attorney’s Office is encouraging everyone to lock their car doors, particularly at night. Burglaries from unlocked automobiles are a significant source of guns for criminals in the Northern District of Florida. Please do your part and protect yourself by locking your car doors.
The United States Attorney's Office for the Northern District of Florida is one of 94 offices that serve as the nation’s principal litigators under the direction of the Attorney General. To access public court documents online, please visit the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Florida website. For more information about the United States Attorney’s Office, Northern District of Florida, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/fln/index.html.
