Stolen guns recovered from convicted felon

United States Attorney Robert E. O’Neill announces to Historic City News that 29 year-old Rodwick Jewing Dowston of Jacksonville has been indicted on charges stemming from the 2008 burglary of an area firearms dealer.

According to O’Neill, Dowston broke into Shooters of Jacksonville, Inc., in the early morning hours of June 22, 2008, and stole 17 firearms. He led officers on a dangerous high speed chase before wrecking his car. Dowston was found hiding in a dumpster.

Dowston has prior felony convictions for grand theft and firearm possession by a convicted felon, according to state records.

Dowston has been indicted and accused of theft of firearms from a licensed dealer, possession of firearms by a convicted felon and possession of stolen firearms. If convicted on all counts, Dowston faces a maximum penalty of 30 years in federal prison.

Dowston was traveling to the United States from the Dominican Republic on Wednesday of this week. He was arrested by Special Agents of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives at the Miami Airport when he attempted to reenter the United States. All 17 firearms were recovered.

This is another case prosecuted as a part of the Department of Justice’s “Project Safe Neighborhoods” program – a nationwide, gun-violence reduction strategy led by ATF.

An indictment is merely a formal charge that a defendant has committed a violation of the federal criminal laws, and every defendant is presumed innocent unless, and until, proven guilty.

This case was investigated jointly by the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. It will be prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Frank Talbot.