A Clewiston man, Javier Velasquez Jr., age 38, has been sentenced to nearly nine years in federal prison for multiple offenses including cocaine distribution and firearm violations. As reported by the United States Attorney's Office, U.S. District Judge Thomas P. Barber imposed the sentence which also encompassed the illegal possession of a machinegun and carrying firearms during a drug trafficking crime.
The court records reveal that Velasquez sold cocaine and several firearms to an undercover federal agent between July 13 and September 19, 2023. One of the weapons sold was a Glock switch, a device that Velasquez used to illegally convert a semiautomatic weapon into a machine gun. Being a convicted felon, Velasquez was already prohibited from possessing firearms and ammunition under federal law, a fact which undoubtedly magnified his offenses.
This investigation and subsequent sentencing stemmed from the efforts of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. Assistant United States Attorney Mark Morgan prosecuted the case, which falls under the Project Safe Neighborhoods initiative. This program aims to collaboratively reduce violent crime and gun violence to make neighborhoods safer through various principles that include fostering trust in communities and supporting organizations dedicated to preventing violence.
The Department, as part of its violent crime reduction strategy, rolled out on May 26, 2021, seeks to better establish PSN protocols that are focused and strategic. This includes endeavors to measure the outcomes more accurately, according to their statement. As a part of this strategy, Velasquez's conviction is positioned as a marker of the program's efficacy in curbing local crime.
