Federal Jury Convicts Former Law Enforcement Officer Of Firearm Offense

GAINESVILLE, FLORIDA - Jesse Rance Moore, 47, of Bell, Florida, was found guilty by a federal jury for possession of short-barreled rifles not registered to him in the National Firearm Registration and Transfer Record. The guilty verdict was announced by Jason R. Coody, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida.

According to court documents, Moore was employed as a Florida Highway Patrol Trooper from January 13, 2003, to February 27, 2017. FBI Jacksonville was investigating Moore in relation to a string of pharmacy robberies that occurred in 2021. A search warrant was obtained and executed at Moore's residence in Gilchrist County, Florida. While searching for evidence related to the robberies, law enforcement discovered numerous firearms, boxes of ammunition, and firearms accessories throughout the property. ATF identified three of Moore's firearms as short-barreled rifles (barrels less than 16 inches) that Moore did not have registered in the National Firearms Registration and Transfer Record.

Sentencing in the case is set for January 7, 2025, at 1:00 p.m., at the United States Courthouse in Gainesville before United States District Judge Allen Winsor. Moore is already serving a 21-year prison sentence out of the Middle District of Florida for offenses related to the pharmacy robberies, and faces up to 10 additional years in prison, 3 years on supervised release, and a $10,000 fine.

This conviction was the result of an investigation conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. Assistant United States Attorneys James McCain and David Byron prosecuted the case.

This case is part of 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 our 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 our 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.

As part of its PSN strategy, the United States Attorney's Office is encouraging everyone to lock their car doors, particularly at night. Burglaries from unlocked automobiles are a significant source of guns for criminals in the Northern District of Florida. Please do your part and protect yourself by locking your car doors.

The United States Attorney's Office for the Northern District of Florida is one of 94 offices that serve as the nation's principal litigators under the direction of the Attorney General. To access available public court documents online, please visit the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Florida website. For more information about the United States Attorney's Office, Northern District of Florida, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/fln/index.html.