Jacksonville felon Jucory Kirtsey sentenced to 15 years after loaded pistol found in home search

Federal sentence follows 2023 search tied to suspected narcotics activity

A Jacksonville man with an extensive felony record has been sentenced to 15 years in federal prison after admitting he possessed a firearm despite being legally barred from doing so.

Senior U.S. District Judge Timothy J. Corrigan imposed the sentence on Jucory Randell Kirtsey, 44, on January 10, 2025, after Kirtsey pleaded guilty to being a felon in possession of a firearm. The court found Kirtsey qualified for an enhanced sentence under the Armed Career Criminal Act, a federal law that increases penalties for certain repeat offenders convicted of unlawful firearm possession.

What investigators say they found

The case stems from a September 6, 2023, search of Kirtsey’s residence by the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office. The warrant was executed in connection with suspected narcotics activity, and officers recovered a loaded Taurus pistol inside the home. Court filings state Kirtsey later admitted he possessed the firearm.

Under federal law, individuals convicted of felonies are generally prohibited from possessing firearms or ammunition. In this case, prosecutors cited Kirtsey’s criminal history as a central factor in the sentence enhancement, describing more than 10 felony convictions involving narcotics sales and trafficking.

How the Armed Career Criminal enhancement works

The Armed Career Criminal Act can raise the minimum penalty for a felon-in-possession conviction when the defendant has prior qualifying convictions. In practice, the enhancement can shift sentencing outcomes from a standard guideline-driven range to a mandatory minimum framework, limiting a judge’s discretion and increasing the length of imprisonment.

In Kirtsey’s case, the court applied the enhancement and imposed a 15-year federal prison sentence.

Agencies involved and what happens next

The investigation involved federal and local partners, including the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office, and the Florida Department of Law Enforcement. Federal prosecutors handled the case in the Middle District of Florida.

The prosecution was handled as part of Project Safe Neighborhoods, a long-running federal initiative that coordinates enforcement and community-focused approaches intended to reduce gun violence and related crime. The Justice Department has described the initiative in recent years as emphasizing focused enforcement priorities alongside prevention-oriented efforts.

• Defendant: Jucory Randell Kirtsey, 44, Jacksonville
• Sentence: 15 years in federal prison
• Core offense: Felon in possession of a firearm
• Key event: Loaded pistol recovered during September 6, 2023, search

Public court records describe the firearm as a loaded Taurus pistol recovered inside the residence during the warrant search.