2 Lakeland men plead guilty in drive-by shooting that injured 11
LAKELAND, Fla. - Two men pled guilty to federal charges in connection to a drive-by shooting in Lakeland that injured 11 people, authorities announced Wednesday.
ORIGINAL STORY: Lakeland drive-by shooting: 5 suspects, 2 persons-of-interest named by federal officials
Nicholas Quinton Hanson, 31, and Marcus Dewonn Mobley, Jr., 23, both of Lakeland, have pleaded guilty to possessing ammunition and possessing a firearm and ammunition as convicted felons, according to the U.S. Attorney's Office, Middle District of Florida.
They each face a maximum penalty of 15 years in federal prison.
On January 30, 11 people were shot in a drive-by shooting near Iowa Avenue and Plum Street in Lakeland. Investigators said four men in a dark blue Nissan Altima with paper tags opened fire on both sides of the street and then raced away.
"This is something that doesn’t happen in Lakeland," Lakeland Police Chief Sam Taylor said following the incident. "I’ve been here 34 years … and I can tell you I have never worked an event where this many people have been shot at one time. Ever."
Within 24 hours of the shooting, police had located the car in west Lakeland. Authorities had sought five suspects and two persons of interest in the shooting, but one of the suspects died during a separate incident in Winter Haven.
Evidence collected from Hanson's and Mobley's cellphones showed they communicated before the shooting. Their DNA was recovered from spent shell casings found at the scene of the shooting.
Both had prior felony convictions and were prohibited from possessing firearms or ammunition. Authorities said Mobley was the registered owner of the vehicle used in the shooting.