U.S. District Judge Wendy Berger has sentenced William Earl Union, Jr., a 32-year-old resident of Jacksonville, to seven years in federal prison for possessing firearms as a convicted felon. The court also ordered the forfeiture of a Mossberg shotgun, a Smith and Wesson revolver, and related ammunition. Union entered his guilty plea on August 22, 2024.
The incident that led to this sentencing occurred on November 25, 2023. Emergency medical technicians (EMTs), the Jacksonville Fire and Rescue Department (JFRD), and the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office (JSO) responded to a 911 call reporting shots fired at a residence on Rugby Road in Jacksonville. Upon arrival, they found Union with penetration wounds near his chest and multiple injuries to his hands, including burns. EMTs transported him to the hospital for treatment.
JSO officers discovered blood on the porch and followed it to a blast site near a stone fire pit in the backyard. The JSO Hazardous Devices Unit examined the area and found a drywall screw partially submerged in dirt and two live 12-gauge shotgun shells nearby. A search warrant led detectives to uncover three firearms inside the residence: a Taurus International pistol, a Smith and Wesson revolver, and a Mossberg shotgun.
Union's criminal history includes convictions for aggravated battery on a law enforcement officer, fleeing or attempting to elude law enforcement, dealing in stolen property, burglary, grand theft auto, and possession of cocaine. Federal law prohibits him from possessing firearms or ammunition due to these past offenses.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives along with the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office conducted the investigation into this case. Assistant United States Attorney Aakash Singh is handling its prosecution.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), an initiative aimed at reducing violent crime and gun violence by fostering community trust, supporting preventive community-based organizations, setting strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring results effectively. This strategy was strengthened by the Department on May 26, 2021.