TAMPA, Fla. – A Tampa man was sentenced to 30 years in federal prison for conspiring to distribute methamphetamine and marijuana, intent to distribute methamphetamine and marijuana, carrying a firearm during a drug trafficking crime, and possessing a firearm as a convicted felon.
The court also ordered Dempsey Gilmore, 32, Tampa, to forfeit an HS Produkt (Springfield Armory) model XDM-45 .45 caliber pistol and ammunition, which were used in the crimes.
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A federal jury found Gilmore guilty on March 9, 2023.
According to testimony and evidence presented at trial, on February 9, 2022, an officer from the Tampa Police Department (TPD) saw a red Dodge Charger fail to stop for a stop sign and attempted a traffic stop, but the vehicle fled at speeds over 100 miles per hour.
A TPD Air Support Unit tracked and recorded the vehicle as it fled from the police, ultimately stopping near a residence, where the driver and passenger got out, scaled a fence, and ran into a house.
During the flight, the air unit recorded the vehicle temporarily stopping and its occupants throwing items from the car.
TPD officers arrived at that location and, along the side of the road, found a bag containing almost 200 grams of 100% pure methamphetamine, a zip-top bag labeled “Dempsey,” and a fully loaded firearm. They also found a box with bags of marijuana and a digital scale nearby.
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After obtaining a search warrant for the house where the suspects had entered, officers ordered the occupants to exit the home. Several individuals immediately complied, but Gilmore and another man initially remained in the house before ultimately coming out.
Officers found a security video from the house showing Gilmore and the other man running into the residence and located more marijuana inside the Dodge Charger that had been abandoned near the residence. A fingerprint recovered from the vehicle matched that of Gilmore.
Gilmore was previously convicted of multiple felonies, including being a felon in possession of a firearm and escaping. Therefore, he is prohibited from possessing a firearm or ammunition under federal law.
The Tampa Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives investigated this case. Assistant United States Attorney Samantha Beckman prosecuted it.
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