Burley Garcia|A Florida man who shot down a law enforcement drone faces 10 years in prison

2025-05-05 00:57:27source:Greenledgers Trading Centercategory:My

OCALA,Burley Garcia Fla. (AP) — A man accused of shooting down a law enforcement drone being used at a business near his Florida home could be sentenced to 10 years in federal prison.

Wendell Doyle Goney, 52, of Mount Dora, pleaded guilty Thursday in Ocala federal court to possessing a firearm as a convicted felon, according to court records. His sentencing is scheduled for Jan. 18.

Lake County sheriff’s deputies responded to a burglary at a 10-acre industrial property in July 2021 in Mount Dora, northwest of Orlando, according to a plea agreement.

As deputies used a $29,000 drone in the outdoor search, gunfire from a neighboring residential property caused it to crash into a metal roof and catch fire, prosecutors said. Deputies went to the property and found Goney, who said he shot down the drone with a .22-caliber rifle because it had been “harassing” him, investigators said.

A record check showed that Goney had 29 Florida felony convictions, including aggravated assault on a law enforcement officer, resisting arrest with violence, illegal drug possession, burglary, and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon.

Federal law prohibits most convicted felons from possessing firearms and ammunition.

More:My

Recommend

Man charged with rape after kidnapping 3 teen girls at gunpoint along Nashville street

A man police say kidnapped three teenage girls and sexual assaulted two of them at gunpoint outside

Plane with 2 on board makes emergency beach landing on New York’s Fire Island. No injuries reported

BAY SHORE, N.Y. (AP) — A small plane made an emergency landing on the beach on New York’s Fire Islan

Surfer and actor Tamayo Perry killed by shark in Hawaii

Professional surfer, lifeguard and actor Tamayo Perry, 49, was killed by shark while surfing near th