Career criminal sentenced to 174 months in federal prison for firearms offense

Staff report

GAINESVILLE, Fla. – Tyrese Da’jon Jones, 26, was sentenced to 14 and a half years in federal prison for possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. The sentence was announced by John P. Heekin, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida.

U.S. Attorney Heekin said, “This violent career criminal has amply demonstrated that the only way we can stop him from committing further crimes and endangering our community is by keeping him locked behind bars. Thanks to the investigative work of our state and federal law enforcement partners, and the aggressive prosecution by my office, that is exactly what we will do. The safety of our communities is not negotiable, and my office will continue to fight hard every day to remove dangerous criminals from our neighborhoods and deliver the crime-free streets our citizens deserve.”

Original arrest

On July 2, 2025, the victim called 911 to say she had been held hostage by Jones in her car for three hours, and throughout the ordeal, Jones was either pointing his gun at something specific, holding it in his lap, or waving it around in her direction with his finger on the trigger. She said Jones kept saying people were coming after them, that the victim was setting him up, and if they didn’t kill her, he would. She said he also made multiple statements that he would kill her and then himself.

The victim said that after driving Jones to multiple locations, they sat in the parking lot at Firehouse Subs (3221 SW 35th Place) for about 20 minutes while he continued saying she was setting him up. She said she told him he needed to get out so she could go to work, and he said, “I gotchu, I gotchu, my bad,” gave her a “weird look and smirked at her” while putting the gun back in his waistband, picked up his backpack, and got out of the vehicle, slamming the door behind him. The victim called 911.

Alachua County Sheriff’s Deputies responded quickly and established a perimeter around Firehouse Subs; in a social media post, Alachua County Sheriff’s Office wrote, “During the incident, it is believed individuals inside the business – who were familiar with the suspect – warned [Jones] that law enforcement was outside.”

At about 9:51 p.m., Jones reportedly left Firehouse Subs and drew his gun when approached by deputies; in response,a deputy discharged his weapon. Jones reportedly suffered what appeared to be a minor injury and was treated at a local hospital before being transported to the Alachua County Jail.

Jones is also facing state charges of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon and false imprisonment. He has four felony convictions and has served a state prison sentence.

Sheriff Chad Scott: “This was an extremely dangerous situation created by an individual who demonstrated a complete disregard for the law and the safety of others. Thanks to this federal sentence, a violent offender will remain off our streets and will not be able to threaten our community in the near future.”

“This sentencing is the result of outstanding work by our deputies and our federal law enforcement partners. On July 2, 2025, Tyrese Jones, a convicted felon who had no business possessing a firearm, held a female victim against her will at gunpoint and then pointed that firearm at responding deputies. The deputies involved were fortunate to escape without injury and were able to safely take him into custody before anyone was seriously hurt or killed,” said Sheriff Chad Scott. “This was an extremely dangerous situation created by an individual who demonstrated a complete disregard for the law and the safety of others. Thanks to this federal sentence, a violent offender will remain off our streets and will not be able to threaten our community in the near future. We remain committed to aggressively pursuing those who illegally possess firearms and use them to victimize others.”

The case involved an investigation by the Alachua County Sheriff’s Office, Florida Department of Law Enforcement, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Adam Hapner.

This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.