Convicted Felon Sentenced To Prison For Illegally Possessing A Pistol

Jacksonville, Florida – U.S. District Judge Wendy W. Berger has sentenced Terrence Jennings (47, Jacksonville) to 18 months in federal prison for possessing a firearm as a convicted felon. Jennings pleaded guilty on April 23, 2025.

According to court records, on May 28, 2024, Jennings was arrested by officers from the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office (JSO) for failure to pay child support. The officers first encountered Jennings sleeping on a couch. When the officers woke Jennings, they observed a firearm in his waistband. Jennings was handcuffed and a loaded Smith & Wesson 9mm pistol was removed from his waistband. When the officers checked Jennings’s criminal history, they discovered he had previous felony convictions, including fleeing to elude a police officer, possession of cocaine, and possession of a firearm on school grounds. As a convicted felon, Jennings is prohibited from possessing a firearm or ammunition under federal law.

This case was investigated by the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Frank Talbot.

This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.