US Marshalls Service: Polk County Felon, Attempted Murder

POLK COUNTY, Fla. - A federal jury delivered a guilty verdict Friday against a Bartow man involved in a violent confrontation with law enforcement.

Myles Andrew Strickland, 36, was convicted of assaulting a federal officer with a deadly weapon, discharging a firearm during a crime of violence, and possessing a firearm as a convicted felon. Following the verdict, Strickland now faces a maximum penalty of life in federal prison.

The conviction stems from a chaotic scene in Lee County, where a U.S. Marshals Service task force located Strickland, who was being sought as a fugitive on a state arrest warrant out of Polk County.

According to the evidence and testimony presented at trial, the situation escalated rapidly when authorities attempted to apprehend Strickland. He led officers on a foot chase, eventually turning to face a Deputy U.S. Marshal who was in close pursuit.

Prosecutors detailed how Strickland, while running, racked the slide of a firearm concealed inside his jacket, effectively preparing the weapon to fire. In the ensuing confrontation, Strickland was struck by gunfire from law enforcement. Forensic investigators later recovered a spent cartridge casing at the scene, confirming that Strickland had discharged his weapon during the incident.

The case was investigated through a partnership between the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and the Florida Department of Law Enforcement (FDLE). Assistant United States Attorney Benjamin S. Winter prosecuted the case.

A date for Strickland’s sentencing has not yet been scheduled.