A Tampa man, previously convicted on felony charges, has been sentenced to seven years and six months in federal prison for possessing a firearm. On November 20, 2024, Chamberlain Vaunshay Chaney, age 34, pled guilty to the charges, which included a violation of his supervised release terms.
As detailed by the U.S. Attorney's Office court documents, the Tampa Police Department Fugitive Task Force executed an active arrest warrant for Chaney on February 8, 2024. Chaney was spotted leaving a motel room in Tampa, at which point officers intercepted him as he got into a vehicle. During a search, they discovered a Smith & Wesson 9mm firearm beneath the driver’s seat. At the time of this incident, Chaney had been previously convicted of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon and as a felon in possession of a firearm on two separated occasions.
The case, investigated by both the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Tampa Police Department, was part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN). This national initiative aims to reduce violent crime, particularly gun violence, by enhancing coordination between law enforcement agencies and the communities they serve. According to the U.S. Attorney's Office, PSN is focused on "fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence for occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results."
