A planned gun sale in St. Johns County turned into a robbery on March 5, ending with a brief foot chase and the arrest of 20-year-old Joseph Silcott, according to deputies. Investigators say the would-be buyer was forced out of a vehicle at gunpoint on Vermont Boulevard before deputies later tracked the car, recovered a firearm and took Silcott into custody.
In a Facebook post, the St. Johns County Sheriff's Office reports that the victim had arranged to meet the suspect on March 5 to buy a firearm. Deputies say the deal went sideways when the suspect allegedly pointed a gun at the victim and ordered them out of the vehicle. A short time later, deputies conducted a traffic stop at Morrison Road and State Road 207. According to the sheriff's office, the suspect bolted from the car on foot, the firearm was recovered from the vehicle and Silcott was taken into custody after a brief pursuit.
The sheriff's office says 20-year-old Joseph Silcott was arrested and booked on charges that include armed robbery with a firearm, possession of a firearm by a convicted felon and resisting without violence, as outlined by the St. Johns County Sheriff's Office.
Charges and legal context
Under Florida law, robbery carried out with a firearm or other deadly weapon is treated as a first-degree felony under Florida Statute §812.13, a category of offense that can lead to decades in prison or even life in the most severe cases. State law also bars people who have been convicted of felonies from possessing firearms under Florida Statute §790.23, and breaking that law is itself a felony. Together, those statutes outline how prosecutors may structure the charges and seek sentencing enhancements if there is a conviction.
Traffic stop, foot pursuit and recovery
Deputies say the traffic stop at Morrison Road and State Road 207 quickly turned into a short foot pursuit before Silcott was detained with assistance from the Florida Highway Patrol and other units. According to the sheriff's office, the firearm was recovered from the vehicle and Silcott was transported into custody. The post did not include unofficial booking or court details, and investigators noted that the case remains active, per the St. Johns County Sheriff's Office.
What happens next
Silcott now faces the set of charges listed by deputies, and the case is expected to proceed through the county court system. Public records should reflect arraignment dates once they are filed. The sheriff's office did not share information about a possible motive or any prior criminal history and asked anyone with additional details to contact law enforcement through the agency's usual tip channels.
