PERRY MAN RETURNED TO FEDERAL PRISON FOR POSSESSION OF FIREARM BY A CONVICTED FELON

TALLAHASSEE, FLORIDA – David Alan Miles, 31, of Perry, Florida, was sentenced to 30 months in federal prison for possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. The sentence was announced by John P. Heekin, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida.

U.S. Attorney Heekin said: “Our brave state and federal law enforcement partners deserve recognition and gratitude for their tireless commitment to keeping serial offenders like this defendant off our streets. My office will continue to stand shoulder-to-shoulder with our law enforcement partners to aggressively prosecute these crimes in fulfillment of the promise made by President Donald J. Trump and Attorney General Pam Bondi to Take Back America from the violent criminals who have victimized our communities for far too long.”

Court documents reflect that the defendant was arrested on February 7, 2025, after initially fleeing from law enforcement in a high-speed pursuit, eluding law enforcement on foot, and then pretending to have been the victim of a carjacking. A canine team from Taylor Correctional Institution responded to help track the “carjacker,” leading law enforcement to the defendant’s mothers’ house. The defendant eventually admitted to law enforcement that he had fled from the traffic stop because he had a rifle in the vehicle with him and knew he was not allowed to possess firearms. The defendant is a seven-time convicted felon, who had previously served federal prison time for possession of an unregistered short-barreled shotgun and sale of a firearm to a convicted felon.

The defendant’s prison sentence will be followed by two years of supervised release.

“This case is a perfect example of how reckless decisions and poor choices have real consequences,” said Taylor County Sheriff Wayne Padgett. “If you play stupid games, you win stupid prizes. Thanks to the quick action of our investigator and the teamwork between local and federal law enforcement, along with our DOC K-9 partners, a convicted felon with a firearm was safely apprehended and is now facing the consequences of his actions.”

The case involved an investigation by the Taylor County Sheriff’s Office and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, with assistance from the Perry Police Department and the Florida Department of Corrections.  The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney James A. McCain.

This case is part of Operation Take Back America a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.

As part of its PSN strategy, the United States Attorney’s Office is encouraging everyone to lock their car doors, particularly at night. Burglaries from unlocked automobiles are a significant source of guns for criminals in the Northern District of Florida. Please do your part and protect yourself by locking your car doors.

The United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Florida is one of 94 offices that serve as the nation’s principal litigators under the direction of the Attorney General.  To access public court documents online, please visit the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Florida website. For more information about the United States Attorney’s Office, Northern District of Florida, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/fln/index.html.