Andre Dominique Barnes, 35, of Lehigh Acres, pled guilty today to possessing a firearm and ammunition by a convicted felon, according to US Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe.
Barnes now faces a maximum of 15 years in federal prison. A sentencing date has not yet been set.
According to court documents, Barnes was stopped for speeding by the Florida Highway Patrol in Lee County on September 20, 2024. During the traffic encounter, authorities determined Barnes was driving on a suspended license and recognized him using an Oklahoma identity card.
A later search of his vehicle revealed a loaded firearm.
Barnes had many past felony convictions in Oklahoma, according to a subsequent investigation. DNA evidence found on the weapon, and Barnes himself linked him to the firearm. Federal law prevents convicted felons from having weapons or ammunition.
The Florida Highway Patrol and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF) investigated the case. Mark Morgan, an assistant United States attorney, is prosecuting the case.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, the Department of Justice’s broad program to combat illegal immigration, dismantle cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and reduce violent crime.