Ocala, Florida – United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces that Ricky Darnell Franklin, Jr. (31, Ocala) has pleaded guilty to possessing a firearm as a convicted felon. He faces up to 10 years in federal prison. A sentencing date has not yet been set. Franklin had been indicted on May 24, 2022.
According to court documents, Franklin has four prior state felony convictions, including two convictions for attempted second-degree murder with a firearm (2010), shooting at or into an occupied vehicle (2010), and possession of a firearm by a delinquent (2010). On September 30, 2021, officers from the Ocala Police Department stopped a vehicle in which Franklin was a passenger. The officers recovered methamphetamine and a loaded handgun from inside the vehicle. DNA testing by the FBI conclusively showed that Franklin had possessed the firearm. As a convicted felon, Franklin is prohibited from possessing firearms under federal law.
This was investigated by the Ocala Police Department and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Hannah Nowalk.
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.