West Palm Beach Gang Associate Sentenced As Armed Career Criminal For Firearm Possession

Wifredo A. Ferrer, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Florida, Hugo J. Barrera, Special Agent in Charge, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF), and Ric L. Bradshaw, Sheriff, Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office (PBSO), announce that Narces Benoit, 37, a documented gang associate from West Palm Beach, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Robert N. Scola Jr. to 180 months (15 years) in prison, to be followed by two years of supervised release for being an armed career criminal in possession of a firearm.

On February 15, 2013, the Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office Gang Unit and SWAT Team executed a residential search warrant in West Palm Beach, Florida. At the scene, agents discovered Benoit in possession of a loaded semi-automatic pistol, cocaine, methamphetamine and a bag containing individually packaged baggies of marijuana.

A federal grand jury indicted Benoit on March 21, 2013, charging him with being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition. In May 2013, Benoit pleaded guilty to being a felon in possession of a firearm in violation of federal gun laws

Benoit was sentenced under the Armed Career Criminal Act, which provides a sentencing range of fifteen years to life for individuals who have been convicted of federal gun crimes and have at least three prior felony convictions for crimes of violence and/or serious drug offenses.

Mr. Ferrer commended the investigative efforts of ATF and PBSO. This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney John McMillan.

A copy of this press release may be found on the website of the United States Attorney's Office for the Southern District of Florida at http://www.usdoj.gov/usao/fls. Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Southern District of Florida at http://www.flsd.uscourts.gov or on http://pacer.flsd.uscourts.gov.