St. Petersburg "Doomsday Prepper" Sentenced To More Than 8 Years In Federal Prison

Tampa, FL - U.S. District Judge Mary S. Scriven sentenced Jason Deon Thomas today (32, St. Petersburg) to 97 months in federal prison for possession with intent to distribute cocaine and marijuana and being a felon in possession of firearms and ammunition. The court also ordered Thomas to forfeit a host of firearms, ammunition, and $7,390 in U.S. currency, which were traceable to the offenses. Thomas pleaded guilty on March 8, 2013.

According to court documents, on February 7, 2013, the St. Petersburg Police Department, along with agents from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, executed a search warrant at Thomas' residence. Inside the residence, law enforcement officers located 29 firearms, including six assault rifles, five shotguns, 17 handguns, a machine gun, a silencer, four bullet proof vests, and thousands of rounds of ammunition. Distribution amounts of marijuana, cocaine, a quantity of prescription drugs, and $7,390 in cash were also recovered. Thomas was previously convicted of felony drug trafficking offenses, and thus prohibited from possessing a firearm or ammunition under federal law.

Thomas claimed, in court filings, that he was a "doomsday prepper," and stockpiling firearms, ammunition, bullet proof vests, and other items to prepare for the end of the world.

This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives and the St. Petersburg Police Department. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Josephine W. Thomas.

This is another case prosecuted as a part of the Department of Justice’s “Project Safe Neighborhoods” program - a nationwide, gun-violence reduction strategy. United States Attorney Robert E. O’Neill, along with Julie Torres, Special Agent in Charge, ATF, is coordinating the Project Safe Neighborhoods effort here in the Middle District of Florida in cooperation with federal, state, and local law enforcement officials.