Federal Bureau of Investigation - Tampa Field Office

08/18/2022 | Press release | Distributed by Public on 08/18/2022 20:12

North Fort Myers Man Indicted for Possessing Firearms and Ammunition

Fort Myers, Florida - United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces the return of a superseding indictment charging Samuel Robert Bruner (46, North Fort Myers) with possessing firearms and ammunition as a convicted felon. If convicted, Bruner faces a minimum mandatory penalty of 15 years, up to life, in federal prison.

According to the superseding indictment, Bruner had previously been convicted of 13 felony offenses when he possessed firearms and ammunition in Fort Myers on December 1, 2021. The indictment further states that Bruner is eligible for an enhanced penalty as an Armed Career Criminal because he has three previous convictions for a violent felony or serious drug offense, committed on occasions different from one another.

An indictment is merely an allegation that a defendant has committed a federal criminal offense. Every defendant is presumed innocent unless, and until, proven guilty.

This case is being investigated by the Lee County Sheriff's Office and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Mark Morgan.

This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.