Man gets 30 months in prison after arrest in Hendry County for possessing a machine gun

A man arrested in Hendry County in February 2025 was sentenced to 30 months in prison on Tuesday for possessing a machine gun.

According to the Department of Justice, Alex Cruz, 24, of Plant City, was one of four people stopped in a vehicle by Hendry County deputies. A 10mm Glock handgun with a machine gun conversion device was found in the seatback pocket directly in front of Cruz.

Deputies said that the firearm had Cruz's DNA on it, and that Cruz later made statements indicating he knew the firearm was a machine gun.

On March 3, 2026, Cruz pleaded guilty. On Tuesday, he was sentenced to 30 months in federal prison for possessing a machine gun.