Aunyis Cherry, 27, St. Petersburg, an Armed Career Criminal, has been found guilty of possessing a firearm and ammunition as a convicted felon.

Cherry faces a minimum mandatory penalty of 15 years, and up to life, in federal prison. A sentencing hearing has not yet been set. Cherry had been indicted on May 27, 2021.

According to testimony and evidence presented at trial, Cherry drove a vehicle with a counterfeit license plate in the area of 14^th Street South in St. Petersburg. A uniformed detective from the St. Petersburg Police Department arrived to conduct a stop.

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Cherry fled from the car but was apprehended. The vehicle’s owner couldn’t be determined, and an inventory search revealed a fully loaded FN Herstal pistol. The jury heard testimony that Cherry’s DNA was located in three places on the firearm, including the handle and trigger. As a previously convicted felon, Cherry is prohibited from possessing a firearm or ammunition under federal law.

This case was investigated by the St. Petersburg Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives.