Nathaniel Martin, 45, now faces a potential life sentence after a Miami federal jury delivered a double blow, finding him guilty of firearm and ammunition possession as a convicted felon, and then designating him an Armed Career Criminal. The verdicts, reached after a three-day bifurcated trial, underscore Martin’s extensive criminal history and the severity of his latest offenses.
The trial, presided over by U.S. District Judge Jose E. Martinez, revealed a compelling narrative of Martin’s apprehension. Evidence presented to the jury showcased a police response to a Miami Gardens market following a tip about a person of interest.
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Upon arrival, officers found Martin in an alley, sifting through a bookbag. Surveillance footage corroborated that Martin had been handling the bookbag, a plastic bag, and other items within the market’s vicinity.
The recovered bookbag contained fourteen rounds of live ammunition, while the plastic bag held two semiautomatic pistols and additional ammunition. Further damning evidence included text messages from the day of his arrest, in which Martin sought to hide his guns, DNA evidence linking him to the firearms, and recorded jail calls where he lamented the recovery of “the weapons.”
Adding to the gravity of the situation, filings in the case revealed that one of the recovered pistols matched shell casings from a December 2023 shooting and a January 13, 2024 homicide in Miami Gardens.
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The jury’s second phase of deliberation, focusing on Martin’s criminal history, highlighted his prior convictions for robbery, cocaine trafficking, and armed robbery, ultimately leading to his designation as an Armed Career Criminal. This designation carries significant weight, mandating a minimum sentence of fifteen years and opening the door to a potential life sentence.
The ATF and the Miami Gardens Police Department conducted the investigation, with Assistant U.S. Attorneys Sterling M. Paulson and Altanese Phenelus prosecuting the case.
Martin’s sentencing hearing is scheduled for May 2, 2025, where Judge Martinez will consider the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors before determining his final sentence.
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