Jerney Jabara Purifoy, a 33-year-old resident of Pensacola, Florida, has pleaded guilty in federal court to possessing firearms and ammunition as a convicted felon. The announcement was made by John P. Heekin, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida.
U.S. Attorney Heekin stated: “This is truly outstanding work by our state and federal law enforcement partners to remove this violent felon from our streets. My office will continue to aggressively pursue such criminals and secure successful prosecutions to fulfill the promise made by President Donald J. Trump and Attorney General Pam Bondi to Take Back America from the violent criminals who have victimized our communities for far too long.”
According to court documents, deputies from the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office executed a search warrant at Purifoy’s home in Pensacola. They found a loaded 9-millimeter handgun in his bedroom and a loaded .22 caliber AR15-style rifle in another room. Purifoy has previous felony convictions for aggravated battery and fleeing or eluding law enforcement. He also faces an unrelated pending case in Escambia County state court involving animal cruelty charges.
Purifoy could be sentenced to up to fifteen years in prison.
The investigation was conducted jointly by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives along with the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant United States Attorney Jessica S. Etherton is prosecuting the case.
Sentencing is set for February 12, 2026, at 1:00 p.m., before United States District Judge T. Kent Wetherell II at the United States Courthouse in Pensacola.
This prosecution falls under Operation Take Back America, which coordinates Department of Justice resources nationwide to address illegal immigration, eliminate criminal organizations, and protect communities from violent crime.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Florida is one of 94 offices serving as principal litigators under the direction of the Attorney General. Additional information about public court documents can be found on the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Florida website (http://www.justice.gov/usao/fln/index.html).
