A Bradenton man, Terry McDonald Jr., has entered a guilty plea to several charges, including possession of a firearm or ammunition by a convicted felon, and possession with intent to distribute cocaine and fentanyl, the U.S. Attorney's Office announced. McDonald, aged 32, is now looking at a minimum sentence of 5 years, which could extend to a life term in federal prison, following his guilty plea.
Details from the court documents indicate that on October 5, 2023, Manatee County Sheriff's deputies executed a search warrant at a home in Bradenton, where McDonald was found. The action was initiated after a series of controlled fentanyl purchases from another individual at the same residence. At the scene, McDonald was the solitary individual in a vehicle parked in the driveway, where the authorities discovered a loaded firearm, drugs, and paraphernalia inside his vehicle. A Smith and Wesson handgun, a digital scale, substances identified as fentanyl and cocaine, were seized.
McDonald's criminal history includes prior felony convictions, which under federal law, prohibits him from possessing firearms or ammunition. His record lists possession of cocaine with intent to sell or deliver, fleeing or attempting to elude a law enforcement officer, and carrying a concealed firearm, according to the U.S. Attorney's Office press release.
As part of his guilty plea, McDonald has consented to forfeit the seized Smith & Wesson firearm and ammunition. The case is being handled by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jeff Chang and was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives alongside the Manatee County Sheriff's Office.
The case falls under Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a nationwide initiative that aims to reduce violent crime and gun violence. The Department of Justice has outlined several core principles for the PSN strategy that includes building trust within communities, supporting preventative measures through community organizations, streamlined enforcement priorities, and measuring the outcomes of these efforts.
