Florida man sentenced to 10 years for firearm possession as a felon

TAMPA, Florida — U.S. District Judge Steven D. Merryday has sentenced Robert Pugh, a 34-year-old from Clearwater, to 10 years in federal prison for possession of a firearm or ammunition as a convicted felon.

The court also ordered Pugh to forfeit a Taurus firearm, a Sig Sauer firearm, and assorted rounds of ammunition, which were possessed in connection with the offense. Pugh entered a guilty plea on June 20, 2024.

According to court documents, on January 3, 2024, officers from the Clearwater Police Department executed a search warrant at a residence where Pugh resided with his co-defendant, Leon Williams. The search warrant was obtained after a series of controlled purchases of cocaine from Williams. During the search, two loaded firearms – a Taurus handgun and a Sig Sauer handgun – were found at the home, along with approximately 60 grams of marijuana, 70 grams of cocaine, digital scales, and other paraphernalia for drug distribution.

Pugh admitted to owning the Taurus, that he had obtained it from another felon, and that he had access to the Sig Sauer. Pugh further admitted that he kept the Taurus for protection while he sold marijuana from the residence, and that he had sold marijuana as recently as the day before. DNA evidence was also obtained connecting Pugh to the Taurus handgun.

Prior to the offense, Pugh had been convicted of multiple felonies including felonious possession of a firearm or ammunition, aggravated battery, and sale of cocaine. As a convicted felon, he is prohibited from possessing a firearm or ammunition under federal law.

Williams previously pleaded guilty to his role in this case. He is scheduled to be sentenced on October 24, 2024.

This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Clearwater Police Department. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Jeff Chang.

This case is part of the Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.