Pompano Beach Resident Sentenced to 15 Years in Prison for Being Felon in Possession of a Firearm

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A Pompano Beach resident was sentenced yesterday to 15 years in federal prison, after having been convicted at trial of being a felon in possession of a firearm.

Benjamin G. Greenberg, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Florida, Robert Lasky, Special Agent in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Miami Field Office, and Scott Israel, Sheriff, Broward County Sheriff’s Office (BSO), made the announcement.

On March 6, 2018, Tedarel Preston, 44, of Pompano Beach, was convicted by a trial jury of being a felon in possession of a firearm.  Yesterday, United States District Court Judge Beth Bloom ruled that Preston was an armed career criminal and sentenced him to 180 months in prison, to be followed by 3 years of supervised release.

According to the court record, including evidence presented during the defendant’s trial, in late December of 2017, BSO detectives received information alleging the Preston was going to be involved in a retaliatory gang shooting.  On December 29, 2017, detectives received additional information that the defendant was in possession of a firearm and observed the defendant seated in the back seat of a vehicle.  As the detectives approached Preston, they observed him remove a firearm from his waistband and attempt to hide it under the passenger seat.  Law enforcement then removed Preston from the vehicle and placed him under arrest.  A loaded, .40 caliber semi-automatic pistol was found in the vehicle, near where Preston’s feet had been positioned.  At the time of his arrest, Preston was a convicted felon and prohibited from possessing a firearm.

Mr. Greenberg commended the investigative efforts of the FBI and BSO in this matter.  This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Bruce Brown.