Jacksonville Man Sentenced To More Than Four Years For Possessing Destructive Devices

Jacksonville, Florida – U.S. District Judge Marcia Morales Howard has sentenced Matthew Reid Davisson (36, Jacksonville) to four years and five months in federal prison for possessing destructive devices which were not registered to him in the National Firearms Registration and Transfer Record. Davisson pleaded guilty on February 18, 2025.

According to court documents, Davisson was arrested on unrelated state charges on October 26, 2023. The Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives subsequently received information that Davisson had large amounts of chemicals and possible grenades at his residence in Jacksonville. After obtaining a search warrant for the home, law enforcement recovered two improvised explosive bombs, one improvised explosive grenade, items constituting combinations of parts from which three improvised explosive grenades could be readily assembled, quantities of homemade high explosives and detonators, large volumes of explosive precursor chemicals, and homemade explosive manufacturing equipment. None of the destructive devices were registered to Davisson in the National Firearms Registration and Transfer Record, as required by law.

One of Davisson’s family members also surrendered to law enforcement one of Davisson’s firearms, which was later determined to be an unregistered machinegun with an unregistered homemade silencer attached to the barrel.

This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office.  It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys David B. Mesrobian and Rachel Lasry.

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.

NOTE: This matter occurred on a previous date but not published at that time due to government shutdown. Press release posted and made available following the return to normal operations.