A violent career criminal now faces life in prison thanks to special efforts by Seminole County prosecutors and sheriff’s detectives.

A Seminole County jury found DAMIROQUAN J. McGILL guilty on Feb. 25 of the enhanced charge of Possession of a Firearm by a Violent Career Criminal based on evidence presented by Assistant State Attorneys Anna Valentini and Jennie Hayes. A conviction on that charge mandates a life sentence unless the sentencing judge issues a written finding that it is not necessary to protect the public.

The verdict came nearly two years after McGill’s arrest by detectives from the Offender Management and Intelligence Section of the Seminole County Sheriff’s Office. McGill, 30, had violated the terms of his probation from one of his prior felony convictions, and the deputies took up positions around a home in Sanford with a warrant to arrest him.  McGill ran when confronted, hopped a fence into a neighbor’s yard, and dropped a loaded 9 mm Smith & Wesson handgun from his waistband as a detective chased him down.

The sheriff’s Offender Management and Intelligence Section is a specialized team responsible for identifying, monitoring, and disrupting criminal activity involving the most prolific offenders in Seminole County. Working closely with the State Attorney’s Office, the team focuses on building strong cases to ensure successful prosecution and to reduce the offenders’ impact on the community.

“They do so many things behind the scenes to keep the community safe, and this is a perfect example,” Valentini said.

To convict McGill as a Violent Career Criminal, Valentini and Hayes had to prove two elements to the jury: that McGill illegally possessed the firearm;  and that he had at least three prior convictions for “forcible” felonies – crimes that involve the use or threat of physical violence.

The jury learned McGill’s record included:

• Manslaughter, for the shooting death of another man in Seminole County in 2015. McGill was sentenced in 2018 to four years in state prison.   

• Two counts of burglary of a Seminole County dwelling in 2016 while in possession of a firearm. He was sentenced that year to six years in prison.

• Armed burglary in Volusia County in 2015, for which he was sentenced in 2022.

McGill was released from prison in June of 2022. He later violated his probation for the Volusia County burglary, leading to the arrest warrant and his 2024 capture in Seminole County.

Circuit Judge Michael Rudisill scheduled McGill’s sentencing for April 17.