A Jacksonville man has been sentenced to 10 months in federal prison for making a false statement while attempting to purchase a firearm. U.S. District Judge Wendy Berger delivered the sentence to Jose Fernando Dominguez, 51, after he pleaded guilty on October 1, 2024.
Court documents reveal that in February 2024, Dominguez filled out ATF Form 4473 at a federally licensed firearms dealer in Jacksonville while trying to buy a Springfield XD pistol. On the form, he falsely claimed he had not been convicted of misdemeanor domestic violence or any crime punishable by more than one year of imprisonment. In reality, Dominguez had prior convictions for misdemeanor domestic battery in Duval County and three felonies in Miami-Dade County: grand theft, possession of cocaine, and sale or intent to distribute controlled substances. At the time of completing the form, Dominguez was on probation for the domestic battery conviction. Federal law prohibits individuals with such convictions from possessing or purchasing firearms.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives conducted the investigation into this case. Assistant United States Attorney Elisibeth Adams prosecuted it.
"This is another case uncovered through the FBI’s National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS). All NICS denials are reported to federal law enforcement and are reviewed daily for potential criminal prosecution," authorities noted. Making a false statement to a firearms dealer when attempting to purchase a gun is considered a felony offense under federal law.
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 launched an enhanced violent crime reduction strategy on May 26, 2021, emphasizing principles such as fostering community trust and legitimacy, supporting community-based violence prevention organizations, setting strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring outcomes.