North Fort Myers felon sentenced to 24 years for explosives, firearms offenses

FORT MYERS, Fla. (WINK)—A North Fort Myers man has been sentenced to 24 years in federal prison for possessing firearms and explosives while on supervised release.

Jesse William Korff, 32, pleaded guilty in January to possession of firearms and ammunition by a convicted felon, possession of unregistered silencers, possession of an unregistered destructive device and attempted malicious use of an explosive.

U.S. District Judge Sheri Polster Chappell handed down the sentence, and Korff was also ordered to forfeit the weapons and explosives used in the crimes.

The case began when Fort Myers police responded to a 911 hang-up call at a Fort Myers residence on May 19, 2025. Officers arrived to find what they reported as a hostage situation and observed Korff in a scuffle with a woman.

Police restrained Korff in handcuffs and seized a firearm and silencer that came loose during the struggle. Officers also discovered a pipe bomb coming out of Korff's pocket. The Lee County Sheriff's Office Bomb Squad used a robot to remove the pipe bomb and take Korff into custody.

Testing by LCSO and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives confirmed the device had been detonated or an attempt had been made to detonate it. Another silencer, firearm and ammunition were seized from Korff's vehicle. Officers and agents also recovered other bomb-making materials inside Korff's residence.

Korff is a convicted felon and prohibited under federal law from possessing firearms or ammunition. He was previously convicted of transfer and possession of a toxin for use as a weapon, smuggling toxins from the United States and conspiracy to kill, maim or injure a person in a foreign country.

The Fort Myers Police Department, Lee County Sheriff's Office and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Mark Morgan prosecuted it. The case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods, a Department of Justice initiative that brings together federal, state, local and tribal law enforcement to combat violent crime.