Sarasota Felon Convicted Of Firearms Charge

Tampa, Florida – A federal jury today found Oliver A. Santana-Garcia (33, Sarasota) guilty of being a felon in possession of a firearm. He faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in federal prison. His sentencing hearing is scheduled for June 8, 2018. Santana-Garcia was indicted on August 30, 2016.

According to testimony presented at trial, on March 7, 2016, law enforcement officers conducted a traffic stop of Santana-Garcia and arrested him on an outstanding charge of violation of probation. During a search of the vehicle, law enforcement discovered a loaded firearm semi-automatic pistol wedged between the driver’s seat and the center console. A subsequent search warrant of Santana-Garcia’s cell phone revealed that 12 days prior to his arrest, he had taken a video of himself with the same firearm.

This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the  Sarasota County Sheriff’s Office. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Carlton C. Gammons and Gregory T. Nolan.

This case was brought as part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program that has been successful in bringing together all levels of law enforcement to reduce violent crime and make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. In October 2017, Attorney General Jeff Sessions announced the reinvigoration of PSN and directed all U.S. Attorneys’ Offices to develop districtwide crime reduction strategies, incorporating the lessons learned since the program’s inception in 2001. In the Middle District of Florida, U.S. Attorney Maria Chapa Lopez coordinates PSN efforts in cooperation with various federal, state, and local law enforcement officials.