Earl Vincent Hudgins III, a 32-year-old resident of Pensacola, Florida, has been sentenced to three years in federal prison for possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. Following his prison term, Hudgins will also serve three years of supervised release. The sentencing was announced by John P. Heekin, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida.
U.S. Attorney Heekin stated: “Thanks to the outstanding work of the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office and our federal law enforcement partners, another dangerous felon was stopped before he could continue terrorizing our community with violence, and with this successful prosecution by my office he will be kept off our streets for several years. My office will continue fulfilling the promise made by President Donald J. Trump and Attorney General Pam Bondi when they launched Operation Take Back America to protect our communities from dangerous felons like this defendant.”
According to court records, Hudgins’ vehicle was stopped on February 16, 2025, for a traffic violation. During the stop, officers discovered an AR-style firearm loaded with 15 rounds of .300-caliber ammunition inside his vehicle. As a convicted felon, Hudgins was prohibited from possessing firearms or ammunition. Investigators later found multiple social media posts showing Hudgins holding the same weapon found during the traffic stop. He also posted a video at the time of his arrest captioned “Bout to go to jail.”
The investigation involved cooperation between the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives. Assistant United States Attorney Christopher C. Patterson prosecuted the case.
This prosecution is part of Operation Take Back America, an initiative aimed at combating illegal immigration and criminal organizations while addressing violent crime and trafficking.
The United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Florida serves as one of 94 offices representing the nation under direction from the Attorney General. Additional information about public court documents can be accessed through the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Florida website or by visiting https://www.justice.gov/usao-ndfl.
