Terrence Jennings, a 47-year-old man from Jacksonville, has been sentenced to 18 months in federal prison for the illegal possession of a firearm. The sentencing was handed down by U.S. District Judge Wendy W. Berger, marking another conviction under Project Safe Neighborhoods, a federal initiative aimed at reducing violent crime and gun-related offenses across the nation.
On May 28, 2024, Jennings was arrested by officers from the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office (JSO) after they discovered him asleep on a couch, a loaded weapon in plain sight. Upon waking Jennings and securing the Smith & Wesson 9mm pistol from his waistband, an investigation quickly unveiled his status as a convicted felon, which includes prior convictions such as fleeing police officers, cocaine possession, and bringing a firearm onto school property. Federal law bars convicted felons from owning or acquiring firearms, placing Jennings in direct violation of these statutes.
According to a statement released by the Department of Justice, Jennings had entered a guilty plea on April 23. The case was brought to a close through the collaborative efforts of the JSO and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, with Assistant United States Attorney Frank Talbot leading the prosecution…