An 18-year-old man from Port St. Lucie, identified as Darroll C. Gilchrist, has pled guilty to the possession of an unregistered firearm. Arrested on July 28, 2023, on standing warrant, law enforcement discovered a modified Glock model 19 on Gilchrist, equipped with a "Glock switch" that enabled it to fire multiple shots automatically with one trigger pull, as per the official press release from the U.S. Attorney's Office.
Setting his sentencing for September 5, U. S. District Judge Aileen M. Cannon of Fort Pierce, Fla., could see Gilchrist facing up to a decade in federal prison and potentially three years of supervised release. During his arrest, the deputies made the discovery of the modified firearm, considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors to determine any sentence. This case was investigated by both ATF Fort Pierce and St. Lucie County Sheriff's Office, with the prosecution being led by Assistant United States Attorney Christopher Hudock.
The case against Gilchrist falls under Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), the U.S. Department of Justice's primary initiative to combat violent crime. Described as "evidence-based" and "effective at reducing violent crime," the PSN program collaborates with local law enforcement and community stakeholders to tackle serious violent crime issues in communities. The focus is on prosecuting the most violent offenders while also partnering with prevention and reentry programs to curb gun violence and improve neighborhood safety overall, as per the U.S. Attorney's Office.
Markenzy Lapointe, U.S. Attorney, along with ATF Special Agent in Charge Christopher A. Robinson, and Sheriff Keith Pearson of the St. Lucie County Sheriff's Office, announced the guilty plea. Those interested in following the case developments can find related court documents and information on the website of the District Court for the Southern District of Florida or on PACER under case no. 24-cr-14005. The partnership with locally based prevention aims to reduce violent crime and gun violence, putting an emphasis on enforcement efforts targeting the most dangerous offenders and enhancing safety for everyone.
