An Orlando man with a lengthy criminal record has been sentenced to 14 years in federal prison for possessing a firearm as a convicted felon following the violent incident that led to his girlfriend's death last year. Albert Ayala, aged 34, entered a guilty plea on May 21 after he was accused of continuing to drive his vehicle on I-4 despite his girlfriend being ejected from the car and subsequently struck by multiple vehicles, according to information provided by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Florida.
The woman suffered from a violent death, and after crashing the vehicle at the base of an I-4 exit, Ayala fled on foot. A gun and 11 rounds of ammunition were found in the car afterward. The sentencing, issued by U.S. District Judge Carlos E. Mendoza, reflects Ayala's criminal history, which includes ten prior felony convictions and prohibits him from legally possessing a firearm or ammunition.
According to a U.S. Attorney’s Office news release, Special Agent in Charge Kirk Howard of ATF Tampa Field Division expressed satisfaction with the outcome: "We’re proud to have helped put this heartless suspect behind bars for a long time." The case falls under Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), an initiative aimed at decreasing violent crime and gun violence through collaboration between law enforcement and communities.
