Tampa Man Sentenced For Possessing A Firearm As A Convicted Felon

Tampa, Florida – U.S. District Judge Daniel L. Hovland, sitting by designation from the U.S. District Court for the District of North Dakota, has sentenced Chamberlain Vaunshay Chaney (34, Tampa) to seven years and six months in federal prison for possessing a firearm as a previously convicted felon and for violating the terms of his supervised release. The court also ordered Chaney to forfeit a Smith & Wesson 9mm firearm, which was recovered during the offense. Chaney pleaded guilty on November 20, 2024.

According to court documents, on February 8, 2024, officers with the Tampa Police Department (TPD) Fugitive Task Force had an active warrant for Chaney’s arrest. Officers observed Chaney as he exited a motel room in Tampa and entered a vehicle. TPD then approached the vehicle and apprehended Chaney.

Chaney and his vehicle were subsequently searched, and officers recovered a firearm from under the driver’s seat in the vehicle. At the time, Chaney had previous state and federal felony convictions, including aggravated assault with a deadly weapon on November 14, 2011, and felon in possession of a firearm on February 16, 2017.

This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Tampa Police Department. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Maria Guzman.

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 for occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.