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

2025-05-05 16:02:50source:Winning Exchangecategory:Finance

OCALA,Novacrypt 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:Finance

Recommend

The company planning a successor to Concorde makes its first supersonic test

A private company aiming to build the first supersonic airliner since the Concorde retired more than

2024 Stanley Cup Final Game 2 Florida Panthers vs. Edmonton Oilers: How to watch, odds

Goalie Sergei Bobrovsky was perfect Saturday night, stopping all 32 Edmonton Oilers shots as the Flo

2 Bronx men plead guilty to drug charges in fentanyl poisoning of toddler who died at daycare

NEW YORK (AP) — Two men connected to a toddler’s fatal opioid overdose at a New York City daycare ha