MIAMI — A former firefighter from Key West, Vincent Michael Vega, appeared in federal court on Tuesday to face charges related to illegal firearms possession. These charges include having components intended for constructing a destructive device, such as an explosive or bomb, as well as possessing a modified rifle with a barrel shorter than the federally mandated length of 16 inches.
Federal prosecutors allege that on March 14, the 38-year-old Vega possessed parts meant to assemble a destructive device and a semi-automatic rifle with an illegally shortened barrel. Neither the firearm nor the components for the destructive device were registered to Vega, which violates federal firearms regulations.
The charges were announced by U.S. Attorney Hayden P. O’Byrne of the Southern District of Florida and Gordon Mallory, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) Miami Field Division, which is leading the investigation.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Elizabeth Hannah is prosecuting the case.
Vega’s indictment serves as a formal accusation, and he is presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law. For further details and updates about the case, you can visit the U.S. Attorney’s Office website for the Southern District of Florida: www.usdoj.gov/usao/fls.
