THE first person charged under Florida’s new “red flag” gun law has been found guilty of refusing to give up his weapons.
Jerron Smith, 33, had built up an arsenal of weaponry including a glock handgun, a .22 caliber rifle and an AR-15 assault rifle – a favorite of mass shooters.
He had been ordered to give up the weapons after his arrest for allegedly opening fire at a car being driven by a friend in March last year.
Smith, of Deerfield Beach, is facing an attempted murder trial in connection with the shooting – which involved his handgun, police say.
He was placed on a risk protection order under the “red flag” law – enacted in response to the Parkland high school mass shooting in February 2018.
But the gun-owner refused to give up his weapons to deputies voluntarily – forcing authorities to seek a confiscation order from a judge.
Florida’s “red flag” law allows authorities to seize weapons from suspects who they believe poses a danger to themselves and others.
The state is one of 15 in the US with such laws.
A neighbour told local media at the time of his arrest that Smith is an Army veteran.
Lorenzo Brown told WPLG-TV: “He spent a lot of money for his weaponry.
“It’s crazy. You just got to live around here to know what’s going on.”
Jurors reached a guilty verdict on Friday in less than half an hour to find Smith had breached the red flag law.
They rejected his argument that he did not fully understand the law.
Smith now faces up to five years in prison.
A sentencing date has not been set.
