Ocala man threw molotov cocktail at florida dept. Of children and families building gets 7 years in federal prison

Ocala, Florida – Senior United States District Judge John Antoon II today sentenced Tommy Lee Holt (27, Ocala) to four years and seven months in federal prison for possession of an unregistered destructive device. Following his prison term, Holt is ordered to serve three years of supervised release.

According to the plea agreement, on November 5, 2019, Holt manufactured eight “Molotov cocktails” using glass bottles filled with gasoline. All qualified as destructive devices and were subject to registration requirements under federal law. After illegally manufacturing the devices, Holt took them to a Marion County branch of the State of Florida’s Department of Children and Families. Once there, Holt lit the wicks on the destructive devices and unsuccessfully attempted to start a fire by throwing one at the building. When apprehended by police, Holt had a lighter clenched in his right hand and his clothing wreaked of gasoline.

“ATF’s primary focus is protecting the public from crimes involving firearms including the unlawful possession of unregistered destructive devices”, said ATF Special Agent in Charge Craig W. Saier.

This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Marion County Sheriff’s Office, and the City of Ocala Police Department. It

Phil Stilton Latest posts

Phil Stilton is the Editor and Publisher of Shore News Network, an independent digital newsroom providing original reporting on New Jersey, national news, government, public policy, public safety, courts, and community affairs.

As founder of the publication, Stilton leads editorial strategy, investigative reporting, and daily newsroom operations while overseeing coverage that reaches millions of readers annually.

With extensive experience covering municipal government, county government, state legislatures, elections, law enforcement, emergency management, and public records, Stilton specializes in translating complex government actions into clear, factual reporting. His work frequently relies on primary source documents, including court filings, legislation, public meeting records, election finance disclosures, government databases, police reports, and Freedom of Information and Open Public Records Act (OPRA) requests. He has reported extensively on local government accountability, taxpayer spending, campaign finance, public corruption investigations, infrastructure, public safety, and the policies affecting New Jersey residents.

Under Stilton's editorial leadership, Shore News Network has grown into one of New Jersey's largest independent digital news organizations, publishing thousands of original news articles each year while providing breaking news coverage, investigative reporting, and analysis across state and local government. The publication's reporting is routinely sourced from official government agencies, public officials, court records, and firsthand documentation, with a commitment to transparency, attribution, corrections when warranted, and clearly distinguishing factual reporting from opinion.

Stilton's journalism follows established newsroom standards emphasizing accuracy, verification, fairness, and accountability. Every effort is made to verify information through official records and multiple reliable sources before publication. His reporting is intended to provide readers with timely, well-documented information that helps them understand the issues affecting their communities, while maintaining editorial independence from political parties, government agencies, advocacy organizations, and commercial interests.

Readers can submit story tips, corrections, public records, or media inquiries through the official Shore News Network website or its verified social media channels. Shore News Network welcomes corrections and updates when new information becomes available as part of its ongoing commitment to accurate and transparent journalism.