A Panama City felon caught carrying a firearm in St. Andrews during a proactive law enforcement patrol in 2023 was found guilty Wednesday and sentenced to 48 months in prison, State Attorney Larry Basford announced.


Rico Munn Rodriguez, 32, was found guilty of Carrying a Concealed Firearm and being a Felon in Possession of a Firearm after Prosecutor Jackson White presented the State’s case. Circuit Court Judge Brantley Clark sentenced the defendant to 48 months in prison, with the first 36 months being minimum-mandatory.
White called two witnesses – arresting officer Frank McDonald and Florida Department of Law Enforcement firearms analyst Caitlin Weaver – to prove his case.
The jury deliberated for about 20 minutes.
“This is a good example of proactive law enforcement by Panama City police, and in this case led to the arrest and conviction of an armed felon walking in a crowded area,” White said. “In Bay County we simply do not allow convicted felons to possess firearms, they have lost that right due to their past decisions.”
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Officer McDonald reported he was on proactive patrol March 10, 2023, in the St. Andrews area as part of the city’s Street Crime Unit. On 11th Street near Bayview Avenue, officers saw the defendant illegally carrying an open container of alcohol.
While talking to the defendant, McDonald asked if he was armed and he said he was. He was carrying a loaded semi-automatic pistol in a pouch slung over one shoulder and resting against his chest.
A records check showed the defendant had two previous felony convictions and he was arrested.
Basford thanked the Panama City Police Department for its proactive work.
For more information, contact Mike Cazalas at mike.cazalas@sa14.fl.gov, or call 850-381-7454.