Century Man Sentenced to Federal Prison for Illegal Weapons

Century, FL (Newsradio 92.3) -- A Century man is headed to federal prison after investigators say they found illegal weapons and explosives at his home. Twenty-seven-year-old Joshua Dean Hardy was sentenced to four years behind bars on multiple federal firearms charges. According to court records, Hardy was already under investigation after deputies found an unregistered silencer during a 2023 traffic stop. Authorities say that investigation expanded in July 2025, when Hardy accidentally shot himself in the leg while patrolling his property. A search of his home later uncovered another unregistered silencer, homemade explosives, and a firearm with the serial number removed. The case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives along with the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office.