Miami-Dade Resident Convicted of Illegally Possessing Ammunition After Shooting at the Liberty Square Housing Complex

A Miami-Dade resident was convicted by a jury in federal court for being a felon in possession of ammunition, after he shot an AK-47 firearm in the Liberty Square Housing Complex.

Wifredo A. Ferrer, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Florida, George L. Piro, Special Agent in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Miami Field Division, and Rodolfo Llanes, Chief, City of Miami Police Department (MPD), made the announcement.

Willie Wilcher, 35, of Miami, was convicted after a three-day trial for being a felon in possession of ammunition and is scheduled to be sentenced before U.S. District Judge Donald M. Middlebrooks on October 11, 2016.

According to evidence presented at trial, on the afternoon of December 29, 2015, Wilcher walked into a convenience store in Liberty City with an AK-47 and was caught on video threatening to kill other individuals. Wilcher then left the store, got into his car, and drove across the street to the Liberty Square Housing Complex and immediately began shooting the firearm.  Two nearby officers heard the gunshots and rushed to the scene, where law enforcement recovered multiple types of ammunition, including six 7.62 x 39 mm (AK47) shell casings in the road, and Wilcher’s car, which had crashed after knocking down a cement electrical pole.  Officers also observed several bullet holes in the passenger side door and rear window of Wicher’s car, consistent with shots being fired from inside the vehicle.  Fortunately, no one was injured during the shooting.

A subsequent investigation revealed that, when Wilcher exited his vehicle and fled the scene, he left behind a rental receipt in his sister’s name, a parcel addressed to him, his iPhone with his fingerprint, and his fingerprints on the driver’s side door of the car.  He also left behind eleven 7.62 x 39 mm (AK47) shell casings in the vehicle.  Wilcher was previously convicted of a felony and was not legally permitted to possess the recovered ammunition.

Mr. Ferrer commended the investigative efforts of the FBI and MPD.  Mr. Ferrer also thanked the Miami Dade Police Department for their assistance in this matter. This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Miesha Shonta Darrough and Jonathan Kent Osborne.

Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Southern District of Florida at www.flsd.uscourts.gov or on http://pacer.flsd.uscourts.gov.