GAINESVILLE, Florida — Robert Anthony Yancy, Jr., a 25-year-old from Tampa, Florida, has pleaded guilty to possession of a firearm by a convicted felon in federal court.
The plea was announced by John P. Heekin, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida. “Convicted felons are legally prohibited from possessing firearms because they have demonstrated through their criminality that they pose a danger to the law-abiding citizens of our community,” Heekin stated. “Keeping our citizens safe from the predations of serial felons, like this defendant, remains a top priority for my office, and we will continue to aggressively prosecute these cases to deliver the safe streets our citizens deserve.”
Court documents indicate that on January 2, 2026, law enforcement conducted a traffic stop on Yancy’s vehicle. During the stop, officers detected the odor of marijuana and observed evidence of marijuana inside, prompting a search. In addition to marijuana and a scale with residue, a handgun was discovered in the vehicle. Yancy, a six-time prior convicted felon, is prohibited from possessing a firearm…