In a turn of the judicial screw, Devaris Lemain Simmons, 33, of St. Petersburg, has been convicted by a federal jury for possessing firearms as a felon, in a case that stretches back to an incident in March last year. The United States Attorney's Office reported that Simmons could face a tough sentence, with a minimum mandatory of 15 years behind bars, the proverbial hammer coming down for the repeat offender with a history sticky with serious drug crimes. There's no set date for the sentencing yet, but the gavel is expected to drop soon.
On a presumably idle March evening in 2023, St. Petersburg's finest sniffed out trouble from a vehicle that just happened to belong to Simmons. With the whiff of marijuana lingering in the air, the police decided to pry into the car. In a tale as old as time, sort of speak, they stumbled upon a Taurus PT-111 Millennium Pro 9mm pistol, tucked away with five rounds ready to bite. The DNA on the firearm's grip and trigger was a match for Simmons, the United States Attorney's Office announced.
He had sold cocaine not once, not twice, but thrice to undercover officers back in 2014, a detail that likely added some weight to the jury's verdict. Prosecutors aren't cutting corners and have linked the case to Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a push to placate violent crime and gun violence, a nod to fostering safer streets for all. This info was relayed in a statement from the United States Attorney's Office website.
Investigating agencies included the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the St. Petersburg Police Department, and the Manatee County Sheriff’s Office, presenting a united front against crime. The prosecution baton was carried by Assistant United States Attorney David W.A. Chee, as per the US Attorney’s Office record.
