Warren Gregory Edwards, a 34-year-old resident of Fort Myers, has been sentenced to two years and six months in federal prison. The sentence was handed down by U.S. District Judge Thomas Barber for charges related to firearm possession as a convicted felon and marijuana trafficking. Edwards is also required to forfeit the Smith & Wesson firearm involved in his offenses. He entered a guilty plea on December 5, 2024.
The incident leading to Edwards' arrest occurred when deputies from the Lee County Sheriff’s Office stopped him for not wearing a seatbelt. Upon detecting the smell of marijuana, they searched his vehicle and discovered a Smith & Wesson handgun along with multiple bags of marijuana. Most of the marijuana was found in a large plastic bag, accompanied by several smaller empty bags, a scale, and a cup containing marijuana residue. Edwards admitted ownership of both the firearm and the drugs.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives conducted the investigation into this case, which was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Benjamin S. Winter.
This case falls under Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), an initiative that unites various levels of law enforcement with communities to reduce violent crime and gun violence. The Department's strategy launched on May 26, 2021, aims to enhance PSN through fostering community trust, supporting violence prevention organizations, prioritizing strategic enforcement actions, and evaluating outcomes.