ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. – A federal jury today found Aunyis Cherry, 27, of St. Petersburg, guilty of possessing a firearm and ammunition as a convicted felon. United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announced the conviction, which carries a minimum mandatory sentence of 15 years and a maximum of life in federal prison.
A sentencing hearing has not yet been scheduled.
Cherry, classified as an Armed Career Criminal due to his prior felony convictions, was arrested in May 2021 after being found in possession of a firearm and ammunition during a traffic stop.
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The jury heard evidence and testimony during the trial that Cherry was driving a vehicle with a counterfeit license plate in the area of 14th Street South in St. Petersburg. During the stop, law enforcement discovered the firearm and ammunition, and subsequent DNA analysis linked Cherry to the weapon
The St. Petersburg Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF) investigated the case. Assistant United States Attorneys Mike Gordon and Craig Gestring prosecuted it. Assistant United States Attorneys Samantha Beckman and Jim Preston conducted the trial.
This conviction is part of the Department of Justice’s ongoing efforts to combat violent crime and illegal firearm possession. The Armed Career Criminal Act imposes enhanced penalties on individuals with prior felony convictions who are found in possession of firearms.
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