Louisville Man Sentenced to Over 9 Years in Federal Prison for Firearms Offenses

Louisville, KY – A Louisville man was sentenced yesterday to 9 years and 7 months in prison after having been convicted by a jury in November 2022 of two counts of being a convicted felon in possession of firearms and one count of receiving a firearm while under felony indictment.

U.S. Attorney Michael A. Bennett of the Western District of Kentucky, Special Agent in Charge Jodi Cohen of the FBI Louisville Field Office, Special Agent in Charge R. Shawn Morrow of the ATF Louisville Field Division, and Chief Jacquelyn Gwinn-Villaroel of the Louisville Metro Police Department made the announcement.

According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, Antonio D. Williamson¸ 35, received a CZ-USA Scorpion Evo 3 9mm handgun in February 2020 from an individual. On May 22, 2021, Williamson was in possession of this handgun, and was captured on surveillance video at a local restaurant drive-thru pointing it at another person while he was driving a stolen vehicle. In September 2021 law enforcement executed a search warrant at Williamson’s residence where they located and seized additional ammunition and firearms, including a Romarm/Cugir, 7.62 caliber rifle, an American Tactical M1911, .45 caliber pistol, and an Eagle Arms, 5.56 caliber rifle. Williamson was prohibited from possessing a firearm because he had previously been convicted of two felony burglary charges in Jefferson Circuit Court in December 2008. He was also under indictment beginning in 2019 in Jefferson Circuit Court on multiple felony charges, including being a persistent felony offender. Williamson was released on bond for the 2019 indictment when he received the 9mm handgun in February 2020.

Following the 9-year and 7-month prison sentence, Williamson was ordered to serve 3 years of supervised release. He was also fined $25,000.  There is no parole in the federal system.

“Strategic enforcement is a core principle of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN),” stated U.S. Attorney Bennett. “We will continue to execute targeted enforcement efforts in partnership with our federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies as we work to make communities throughout the Western District safer for all.”

“Mr. Williamson is a persistent re-offender who will now spend a significant amount of time behind bars,” stated FBI Special Agent in Charge Cohen. “Keeping firearms out of the hands of convicted felons is critical to keeping our communities safe, and the FBI will stop at nothing to do so.”

This case was investigated by the FBI, the ATF, and the Louisville Metro Police Department with assistance by the Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration.

Assistant U.S. Attorneys Joshua Judd and Christopher Tieke prosecuted the case.

This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.

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