Crime and Law

Jacksonville man found guilty on firearm, drug offenses

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — A federal jury has found Jimmy Ray Lightsey, 39, of Jacksonville, guilty of possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, possessing controlled substances with the intent to distribute and possessing a firearm as a convicted felon, according to the Department of Justice.

Lightsey, who qualifies as an armed career criminal, faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 20 years, and up to life, in federal prison. His sentencing hearing is scheduled for July 27.

Lightsey was indicted on Nov. 15, 2018.

According to testimony presented at trial, on June 24, 2018, officers from the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office arrested Lightsey for driving without a valid license. A 9mm pistol and a bag of marijuana were then observed in plain view inside Lightsey’s car.

A search of the vehicle revealed additional marijuana, cocaine, crack cocaine and empty baggies used for packaging narcotics, according to the Department of Justice. The pistol was later determined to have been stolen from a home in Jacksonville approximately two weeks earlier.

At the time of the incident, Lightsey had multiple prior felony convictions, including for the sale or delivery of cocaine and attempted armed robbery with a weapon. Therefore, he was prohibited from possessing a firearm or ammunition under federal law.

This case was investigated by the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys David B. Mesrobian and Beatriz Gonzalez.