Senior U.S. District Judge John Antoon II has sentenced Loveking Kitching, a 22-year-old from DeLand, to three years and five months in federal prison for illegally possessing firearms and ammunition as a convicted felon. The court also mandated the forfeiture of the firearms and ammunition involved in the case. Kitching had pleaded guilty on August 21, 2024.
Court documents reveal that on May 13, 2023, Kitching was part of a shooting incident while he was a passenger in a car near a gas station in DeLand. Security footage showed him exiting the vehicle with a loaded 9mm pistol shortly after the shooting. Law enforcement recovered the weapon and other evidence indicating an exchange of gunfire between Kitching and another individual outside the car. During this altercation, Kitching sustained injuries to his mouth and hand. Shell casings found inside the vehicle suggested that he fired from within.
On December 12, 2023, officers attempted to stop a vehicle driven by Kitching, who led them on a chase into an industrial park before reaching a dead end. Along the chase route, officers discovered his cellphone and a loaded .40 caliber pistol bearing his DNA and fingerprints.
Kitching's previous felony convictions from 2022 prohibit him under federal law from possessing firearms or ammunition.
The investigation was conducted by multiple agencies including the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), DeLand Police Department, and Volusia County Sheriff’s Office. Special Assistant United States Attorney Matthew Del Mastro prosecuted the case.
This prosecution is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), an initiative aimed at reducing violent crime through collaboration between law enforcement agencies and communities. The program emphasizes trust-building within communities, support for violence prevention organizations, strategic enforcement priorities, and result measurement.