A 41-year-old Palmetto man, Markis Maxwell, has been handed a seven-year federal prison sentence for illegal firearm possession, said U.S. Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe. This sentence comes in addition to the time Maxwell is already serving for drug-related offenses and attempting to flee from law enforcement, and will be served consecutively.
Maxwell found himself at the center of a law enforcement response to a domestic argument on June 16, 2023, where he reportedly had a handgun, the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Middle District of Florida reports, when deputies responded to the 911 call they uncovered that Maxwell was not only in possession of a firearm but also had outstanding warrants for drug-related activities when they arrested him, they located a loaded handgun in a bedroom closet DNA analysis of which implicated him as the owner.
The sentence was determined by Senior U.S. District Judge Daniel L. Hovland, where Maxwell was also ordered to forfeit the firearm and ammunition involved in the offense post his guilty plea on October 24, 2025. As per federal law, Maxwell's previous felony convictions revoke his rights to legally possess any firearms or ammunition.
This case, involving a collaboration between the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Manatee County Sheriff’s Office, is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods, an initiative aimed at curbing violent crime and gun violence across communities, by fostering trust, supporting violence prevention organizations, setting focused enforcement goals, and monitoring the outcomes, the strategy established since May 2021 as highlighted by the Justice Department.
