Gainesville man pleads guilty to federal charge of unlawful possession of a homemade silencer

Press release from the U.S. Attorney’s Office, Northern District of Florida

GAINESVILLE, Fla. – Dean Allen Harper, 55, of Gainesville, pleaded guilty in federal court to possession of an unmarked and unregistered silencer, which qualifies as a firearm under federal law. The plea was announced by John P. Heekin, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida.

U.S. Attorney Heekin said: “I deeply appreciate the excellent investigative work of our state and federal law enforcement partners to remove dangerous, armed criminals from our streets.  My office will continue to back up their hard work on the front lines with aggressive prosecutions under the Department of Justice’s Operation Take Back America initiative to keep our communities safe from violent criminals.”

Court documents reflect that on November 21, 2025, law enforcement conducted a traffic stop on a vehicle Harper was driving. The vehicle contained numerous firearms, ammunition, methamphetamine, and drug paraphernalia. In total, Harper was in possession of two rifles, two pistols, multiple magazines, and numerous rounds of ammunition, including armor-piercing ammunition. One of the pistols also had an automotive oil filter converted into a homemade suppressor/silencer attached to its barrel:

The threaded barrel had an aftermarket attachment which allowed the oil filter to be attached. The homemade silencer did not have a serial number and was not registered in the National Firearms Registration and Transfer Record.

Click here for Alachua Chronicle’s report on his arrest.

At sentencing, the defendant faces up to 10 years’ imprisonment, three years of supervised release, and a $10,000 fine. Sentencing is scheduled for June 16, 2026, at 9:00 a.m., at the United States Courthouse in Gainesville before Chief United States District Judge Allen C. Winsor.

The case involved an investigation by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives and the Alachua County Sheriff’s Office. The case is being 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.