Convicted Felon With Ghost Gun Pleads Guilty To Federal Ammunition Offense

Ocala, Florida –United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces that Marty Eugene Days, Jr. (33, Williston) has pleaded guilty to possession of ammunition affecting commerce by a convicted felon. Days faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in federal prison. A sentencing date has not yet been set. Days had been indicted on May 10, 2022.

According to court documents, on or about February 23, 2022, an Ocala police officer stopped an automobile driven by Days for erratic driving. Days, the sole occupant, did not have a valid license, and also admitted that he had been drinking and displayed an alcoholic beverage to the officer. After detaining Days, the officer located a bag on the ground adjacent to the automobile that contained Days’s Florida ID card, two of his credit cards, and a 9mm handgun. Video surveillance footage from a nearby convenience store showed Days tossing the bag out of the passenger-side window. The firearm—a “ghost gun” with no manufacturer serial number—was loaded with 21 rounds of ammunition. As a previously convicted felon, Days is prohibited from possessing a firearm or ammunition under federal law.

This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF) and the City of Ocala Police Department. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Robert E. Bodnar, Jr.

This case is being prosecuted as part of the joint federal, state, and local Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) Program, the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts.  PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime.  Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them.  As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.