A Florida man with a lengthy criminal history will be spending even more time behind bars after being sentenced to five years in federal prison for illegally possessing and selling firearms. U.S. District Judge Thomas P. Barber handed down the sentence to Roger William Clayton, 41, for possessing a firearm as a convicted felon.
This latest federal sentence will run consecutively to a nine-year sentence Clayton is currently serving in Florida state prison for methamphetamine trafficking, meaning he’ll be facing a significant stretch away from society. Clayton pleaded guilty to the federal firearm charge on January 14, 2025.
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According to court documents, Clayton’s illegal activities came to light on July 28, 2022, when he sold five firearms to an undercover ATF agent in Arcadia.
The transaction, arranged near Southwest Lettuce Lake Avenue and County Road 761, involved a variety of weapons, including a Ruger Mini-14 .223 caliber rifle, a Mauser 6.5 caliber rifle, a VZ24 6.5 caliber rifle, a Tokarev 7.62mm caliber pistol, and a Romarm-Cugir 7.62mm pistol.
Investigators further revealed that Clayton also offered to facilitate the sale of suppressors, or silencers, and “ghost guns” – privately manufactured firearms that are untraceable.
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At the time of these offenses, Clayton was already prohibited from possessing firearms or ammunition under federal law due to a string of prior felony convictions. His criminal record includes grand theft, grand theft of a motor vehicle, trafficking in stolen property, possession of a place for the purpose of trafficking, fleeing and eluding a law enforcement officer, and robbery.
The successful investigation into Clayton’s illicit firearm dealings was a collaborative effort between the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) and the DeSoto County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant United States Attorneys David W.A. Chee and Michael J. Buchanan prosecuted the case.
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