SERIAL FELON ON SUPERVISED RELEASE CONVICTED OF ILLEGALLY POSSESSING FIREARMS

TALLAHASSEE, FLORIDA – Lee Manuel Colson, 45, of Tallahassee, Florida, was found guilty by a federal jury yesterday for possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. The verdict was announced by John P. Heekin, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida.

U.S. Attorney Heekin said: “Our community is safer now that we are returning this repeat felon back behind bars where he belongs. My office is fully committed to fulfill the promise of President Donald J. Trump and Attorney General Pam Bondi to Take Back America by targeting and aggressively prosecuting the criminals victimizing our communities.  Thanks to the tenacious prosecutors in my office and the hard work of our local, state, and federal law enforcement partners, this dangerous felon will be removed from our streets.”

Evidence at trial showed that on July 11, 2024, the United States Probation Office conducted a search of Colson’s residence and found that he was in possession of two pistols in a drawer in his bedroom. Colson admitted to officers that the firearms were present. Colson has 22 prior felony convictions, including prior federal convictions for drug-trafficking and firearm offenses for which he served 90 months in prison.

Colson faces up to 17 years in prison at sentencing and an additional term of supervised release.

The case involved an investigation by the United States Probation Office, the United States Marshals Service, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, with assistance from the Leon County Sheriff’s Office.  The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Joseph A. Ravelo and James A. McCain.

Sentencing is scheduled for September 10, 2025, at 10:00 am at the United States Courthouse in Tallahassee before United States District Judge Mark E. Walker.

This case is part of Operation Take Back America (https://www.justice.gov/dag/media/1393746/dl?inline ) 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. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).

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.