A Florida man has pleaded guilty to felon-in-possession of a firearm and shooting down a law enforcement drone out of the sky.
Wendell Doyle Goney, 52, Mount Dora, faces a maximum of ten years in federal incarceration if convicted. A date for sentencing has not yet been set.
According to the plea agreement, Lake County Sheriff’s Office deputies responded to a burglary at a 10-acre commercial property in Mount Dora on July 11, 2021.
As deputies used a law enforcement drone to assist in the outdoor search, it was obliterated by gunfire from a neighboring property. Goney confessed that he had just shot down the drone with a .22 caliber rifle when he was confronted by responding deputies on the neighboring property.
In the news: Polk County Meth Trafficker Convicted In Federal Court
According to Goney, the drone was “harassing” him. Goney then confessed to the deputies that, as a convicted felon, he could not legally possess a firearm.
A record review revealed that he had 29 prior felony convictions in Florida, including aggravated assault on a law enforcement officer, violent resistance to arrest, illegal drug possession, burglary, and possession of a firearm by a felon. Federal law prohibits Goney, as a convicted felon, from possessing firearms and ammunition.
The Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives Bureau, the Department of Transportation – Office of Inspector General, and the Lake County Sheriff’s Office investigated this case. Assistant United States Attorney Robert E. Bodnar, Jr. is prosecuting it.
Android Users, Click To Download The Free Press App And Never Miss A Story. Follow Us On Facebook and Twitter. Signup for our free newsletter.
We can’t do this without your help; visit our GiveSendGo page and donate any dollar amount; every penny helps