OCALA, Fla. — A United States District Judge sentenced an Ocala man to five years in federal prison for possession of a firearm and ammunition by a convicted felon.
31-year-old Shymiere Montese Howell entered a guilty plea to the offense on July 22, 2025, after attempting to sell a loaded handgun at a Leesburg pawn shop on Nov. 8, 2024.
According to court documents, Howell is a 19-time convicted felon with prior convictions that include possession of a firearm by a felon, child neglect, felony battery, and drug possession.
When the Leesburg Police Department arrived at the pawn shop, Howell attempted to push past them and run out of the store, but he was quickly apprehended.
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