Northern District of Florida

Pensacola, Florida – Dr. Twan Phanijphand, M.D., a gastroenterologist located in Fort Walton Beach, Florida, agreed to pay $300,000 to resolve allegations that he unlawfully prescribed opioids and other controlled substances in violation of the Controlled Substances Act (CSA). As part of the settlement, Dr. Phanijphand also agreed to not reapply for a Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) registration for Schedule II and IIN controlled substances and agreed to additional monitoring by the DEA. The settlement was announced by John P. Heekin, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida.

U.S. Attorney Heekin said: “Federal law strictly governs the administration and dispensation of controlled substances by medical professionals, and ensuring physicians in Florida are complying with those requirements is of principal importance to keeping our communities safe and healthy. Florida, in particular, has dealt with the devastating consequences of the opioid epidemic for years, and my office is committed to ensuring we hold physicians accountable to prevent future harms to our communities.” 

The government alleged that Dr. Phanijphand committed certain CSA violations, including that from June 15, 2023, through March 7, 2025, Dr. Phanijphand unlawfully prescribed at least one hundred twenty-seven (127) controlled substance prescriptions within the State of Florida (including prescriptions for oxycodone-acetaminophen, hydrocodone-acetaminophen, lorazepam, alprazolam, clonazepam, and tramadol) and did not maintain any patient records. Dr. Phanijphand voluntarily surrendered his DEA registration on April 22, 2026. In addition to the $300,000 monetary fine, Dr. Phanijphand agreed to (1) not reapply for a DEA registration for Schedule II or IIN controlled substances, and (2) document completion of continuing medical education in prescribing and recordkeeping of controlled substances. 

“The Controlled Substance Act requires DEA registrants to maintain accurate inventorying, tracking, and record keeping to prevent the diversion of controlled substances,” said DEA Tampa Special Agent in Charge Daniel Escobar. “We remain committed to working with our law enforcement and regulatory partners to protect the safety and health of our Florida communities.”

This civil settlement agreement is not an admission of any liability by Dr. Phanijphand, nor a concession by the United States that its claims were not well-founded. 

Assistant United States Attorney Mary Ann Couch represented the United States in this matter, which was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration (Diversion Control Program). 

The United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Florida is one of 94 offices that serve as the nation’s principal litigators under the direction of the Attorney General.  To access public court documents online, please visit the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Florida website. For more information about the United States Attorney’s Office, Northern District of Florida, visit https://www.justice.gov/usao-ndfl.

Tallahassee, Florida – Marcello Hinojosa, 53, of Tallahassee, Florida, has been indicted in federal court on one count of possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine, one count of possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, and one count of possession of a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking offense. John P. Heekin, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida, announced the charges.

Hinojosa appeared before United States Magistrate Judge Martin A. Fitzpatrick for his initial appearance at the United States Courthouse in Tallahassee, Florida. Trial is scheduled for September 28, 2026, in Tallahassee before Chief United States District Court Judge Allen C. Winsor.

If convicted, Hinojosa faces a minimum mandatory sentence of 15 years’ imprisonment and up to life imprisonment on the possession with intent to distribute count; up to 15 years’ imprisonment on the possession of a firearm by a convicted felon count; and no less than 5 years consecutive to any other sentence on the possession of a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking offense count.            

This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Tallahassee Police Department. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Eric K. Mountin.

An indictment is merely an allegation by a grand jury that a defendant has committed a violation of federal criminal law and is not evidence of guilt. All defendants are presumed innocent and entitled to a fair trial, during which it will be the government’s burden to prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt at trial.

This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.

The United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Florida is one of 94 offices that serve as the nation’s principal litigators under the direction of the Attorney General.  To access public court documents online, please visit the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Florida website. For more information about the United States Attorney’s Office, Northern District of Florida, visit https://www.justice.gov/usao-ndfl.

Pensacola, Florida – Jeffrey Benjamin Banks, 45, of Pensacola, Florida, has been indicted in federal court for one count of possession with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of a mixture and substance containing methamphetamine, 5 grams or more of methamphetamine and fentanyl and one count of possession with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine and 40 grams or more of fentanyl. John P. Heekin, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida announced the charges.

Banks appeared in federal court for his arraignment before United States Magistrate Judge Hope T. Cannon in Pensacola, Florida. Jury trial is scheduled for October 19, 2026, at 8:30 am before United States District Court Judge T. Kent Wetherell, II in Pensacola, Florida.

If convicted, Banks faces at least 10 years’ imprisonment up to life imprisonment on the possession with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of a mixture and substance containing methamphetamine, 5 grams or more of methamphetamine and fentanyl count. Banks also faces at least 25 years’ imprisonment up to life imprisonment on the possession with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine and 40 grams or more of fentanyl count.

The case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Pensacola Police Department, and the Santa Rosa County Sheriff’s Office, with assistance from the Gulf Coast High Intensity Drug Trafficking Areas (HIDTA) Task Force. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Jessica S. Etherton and Alicia H. Forbes. 

An indictment is merely an allegation by a grand jury that a defendant has committed a violation of federal criminal law and is not evidence of guilt. All defendants are presumed innocent and entitled to a fair trial, during which it will be the government’s burden to prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt at trial. 

This prosecution is part of the Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) initiative established by Executive Order 14159, Protecting the American People Against Invasion. The HSTF is a whole-of-government partnership dedicated to eliminating criminal cartels, foreign gangs, transnational criminal organizations, and human smuggling and trafficking rings operating in the United States and abroad. Through historic interagency collaboration, the HSTF directs the full might of United States law enforcement towards identifying, investigating, and prosecuting the full spectrum of crimes committed by these organizations, which have long fueled violence and instability within our borders. In performing this work, the HSTF places special emphasis on investigating and prosecuting those engaged in child trafficking or other crimes involving children. The HSTF further utilizes all available tools to prosecute and remove the most violent criminal aliens from the United States. HSTF comprises agents and officers from multiple agencies with the prosecution being led by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Florida.

The United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Florida is one of 94 offices that serve as the nation’s principal litigators under the direction of the Attorney General.  To access public court documents online, please visit the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Florida website. For more information about the United States Attorney’s Office, Northern District of Florida, visit https://www.justice.gov/usao-ndfl.

Gainesville, Florida – DeShawn Russ, 36, of Jacksonville, Florida, was sentenced to nine years in federal prison for possession of ammunition by a convicted felon. The sentence was announced by John P. Heekin, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida. 

U.S. Attorney Heekin said: “Keeping this violent, serial felon off our streets and locked away behind bars is necessary to protect our communities from his continued criminality. I am grateful for the excellent investigative work by the Gainesville Police Department, with support from our federal law enforcement partners, that facilitated this successful prosecution by my office.”

Court documents reflect that the Gainesville Police Department responded to a shooting within a vehicle where officers found a bullet hole in the driver’s window.  Russ, who was known to the driver, was located nearby.  Although no firearm was recovered, a .380 bullet was located in his pocket. Russ is multi-time convicted felon and is therefore prohibited from possessing firearms or ammunition. At sentencing, the Court found that the defendant shot the firearm and then engaged in obstruction by encouraging witnesses to change their statements. 

“Time and again, convicted felons who are prohibited from possessing firearms or ammunition continue to place our community at risk,” said Gainesville Police Chief Nelson Moya. “We are grateful for the thorough work of our investigators and our federal partners in holding him accountable for his actions.”

The case involved an investigation by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives and the Gainesville Police Department. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Christie S. Utt.

Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) is the Department of Justice’s nationwide initiative that brings federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement, prosecutors, and other public safety partners together to coordinate efforts to combat violent crime and make communities safe. Coordinated by U.S. Attorneys’ offices in each of the 94 federal districts, PSN is tailored to particular communities to strategically address specific violent crime and public safety challenges. As a key component of Operation Take Back America, PSN serves a central role in the Department’s commitment to make our country safe. PSN emphasizes three core principles: rapid federal response to violent crime and criminal offenders; strong, strategic partnerships among law enforcement at all levels; and accountability and deterrence through the prosecution of the most serious, readily provable offenses and other strategies. These efforts complement and strengthen President Trump’s Homeland Security Task Forces, ensuring a comprehensive federal response to the most pressing public safety issues facing communities.

The United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Florida is one of 94 offices that serve as the nation’s principal litigators under the direction of the Attorney General.  To access public court documents online, please visit the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Florida website. For more information about the United States Attorney’s Office, Northern District of Florida, visit https://www.justice.gov/usao-ndfl.

Pensacola, Florida – Divincent M. Madison, Jr., 25, of Pensacola, Florida, pleaded guilty to one count of theft of mail by a postal employee, one count of delay or destruction of mail, and one count of possession with intent to distribute marijuana. The plea was announced by John P. Heekin, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida.

U.S. Attorney Heekin said: “This defendant sought to exploit his position with the USPS to facilitate a drug trafficking operation through the U.S. Mail, but thanks to the excellent investigative work by the USPS Inspector General that supported the successful prosecution by my office, he now faces federal prison time.”

Court documents reflect that in July 2023, while working at the United States Postal Service Processing and Distribution Center in Pensacola, the defendant would smell mail packages, cut them open, and steal marijuana located inside the parcels. Federal agents intercepted the defendant while leaving work and found over 1,000 grams of marijuana inside of his lunchbox. Later the same day, the defendant attempted to have another mail handler help him retrieve a package containing 448 grams of marijuana that the defendant had hidden inside the Distribution Center. 

Madison faces up to 5 years imprisonment on each count.

The case was investigated by the United States Postal Service – Office of Inspector General and the United States Postal Inspection Service. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Christopher C. Patterson and Brooke Lindsay.

Sentencing is scheduled for November 10, 2026, at 1:00 p.m. in the United States Courthouse in Pensacola before United States District Judge T. Kent Wetherell, II. 

The United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Florida is one of 94 offices that serve as the nation’s principal litigators under the direction of the Attorney General. To access available public court documents online, please visit the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Florida website. For more information about the United States Attorney’s Office, Northern District of Florida, visit https://www.justice.gov/usao-ndfl.

Gainesville, Florida –Ronald Pate Newman, III, 27, of Youngstown, Ohio, was sentenced to 35 years in federal prison, followed by a lifetime of supervised release for two counts of the production of child pornography. The sentence was announced by John P. Heekin, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida. 

U.S. Attorney Heekin said: “This case highlights the growing threats our children face online from sexual predators, like this defendant, who seek to sexually exploit and victimize them. This substantial prison sentence is righteous punishment for the disgusting crimes this defendant committed in robbing the child victim of their innocence. My office will continue to aggressively prosecute predators, like this defendant, and seek maximum punishments to ensure they can never again victimize another child.”

Court documents reflect that in April 2025, law enforcement became aware that a previously convicted sex offender used an 11-year-old child from Florida to produce images of the child engaging in sexually explicit conduct. The defendant met the victim on a “safe for work” account, meaning all posts must be publicly appropriate, but he soon convinced the child to message him privately where he began grooming and then directing the child to create explicit photographs, which he posted in other accounts. The defendant was arrested in Ohio, and a subsequent forensic analysis of seized devices identified over 500 images of child pornography. 

Due to his prior convictions, Newman was sentenced to a mandatory minimum of thirty-five years’ imprisonment in federal prison. When released, he will be supervised for the remainder of his life, which includes registering again as a sex offender.  

The case involved a joint investigation by the Levy County Sheriff’s Office and Homeland Security Investigations. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Christie S. Utt. 

This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys' Offices and CEOS, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit Justice.gov/PSC.

The United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Florida is one of 94 offices that serve as the nation’s principal litigators under the direction of the Attorney General. To access public court documents online, please visit the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Florida website. For more information about the United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Florida, visit https://www.justice.gov/usao-ndfl.

Tallahassee, Florida – Zeno Higgs, 51, of the Commonwealth of The Bahamas, has been found guilty by a federal jury in Tallahassee following a single day jury trial for illegal re-entry into the United States following prior deportation. John P. Heekin, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida, announced the guilty verdict.

U.S. Attorney Heekin said: “Our nation’s immigration laws are not mere suggestions that this criminal illegal alien could disregard, but that is exactly how he viewed them as evidenced by his five prior deportations and his illegal reentry into our country yet again. Thanks to this aggressive prosecution by my office that delivered a swift guilty verdict by a jury, we will hold this criminal illegal alien accountable for his brazen criminality before kicking him out of our country once and for all.”

Court records and trial testimony revealed that on September 11, 2024, officers of the Tallahassee Police Department responded to a theft and assault of a wheelchair-bound individual at a local convenience store. Officers contacted the suspect, who was identified as an illegal alien who had been previously deported from the United States on five prior occasions. Upon the defendant’s arrest, officers of the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Enforcement and Removal Operations examined the defendant’s immigration history which documented his prior deportations on July 9, 2014; November 6, 2015; June 14, 2016; February 15, 2018; and April 18, 2024. Further testimony revealed that the defendant was previously convicted in the United States District Court for the Southern District of Florida in 2017 of Bringing Aliens into the United States and 2022 for Illegal Re-entry into the United States. The defendant was also convicted in the Circuit Court for Broward County of Felony Battery on a Law Enforcement Officer in 2023.   

The case was jointly investigated by the Tallahassee Police Department and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Enforcement and Removal Operations. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Jason R. Coody.

Sentencing is scheduled for December 10, 2026, at 11:00 a.m. in the United States Courthouse in Tallahassee before Senior United States District Judge Robert L. Hinkle.

This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.

The United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Florida is one of 94 offices that serve as the nation’s principal litigators under the direction of the Attorney General. To access public court documents online, please visit the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Florida website. For more information about the United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Florida, visit https://www.justice.gov/usao-ndfl.

Tallahassee, Florida – Michael R. Foster, 49, of DeFuniak Springs, Florida, was found guilty by a federal jury of attempted enticement of a minor. The conviction was announced by John P. Heekin, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida. 

U.S. Attorney Heekin said: “We are fortunate to have excellent law enforcement partners – like the Bay County Sheriff’s Office, HSI, and the FBI – who work tirelessly to keep our kids safe, both online and in our communities, by targeting, investigating, and arresting predators, like this defendant, who seek to sexually exploit and victimize children. Aggressively prosecuting these sexual predators is one of the top priorities of my office to ensure we keep them locked away behind bars and away from our kids.”

Court records and evidence at trial demonstrated that in November 2025, the Bay County Sheriff’s Office, along with other law enforcement partners, conducted an undercover operation, directed at finding people who were soliciting minors online for sex. On November 8, 2025, the defendant began talking with an undercover law enforcement officer who the defendant believed was a fifteen-year-old child. The defendant told the purported child the sexual act he wanted the child to perform, was told a price for those sexual acts, and he arranged a meeting location. When the defendant traveled to meet the purported child at the agreed upon location, he was arrested by law enforcement. Electronic evidence seized pursuant to a search warrant confirmed the defendant had, in fact, talked to the person he believed was a child and traveled to meet them. 

This conviction was the result of an investigation by the Bay County Sheriff’s Office, Homeland Security Investigations, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Eric W. Welch. 

This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys' Offices and CEOS, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit Justice.gov/PSC.

The United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Florida is one of 94 offices that serve as the nation’s principal litigators under the direction of the Attorney General. To access public court documents online, please visit the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Florida website. For more information about the United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Florida, visit https://www.justice.gov/usao-ndfl.

Tallahassee, Florida – Napeaches Shouetta Blair, 43, of Tallahassee, Florida, pleaded guilty in federal court to two counts of theft of mail by postal employee. The plea was announced by John P. Heekin, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida. 

U.S. Attorney Heekin said: “Our citizens should be able to trust that the mail they deposit with the U.S. Postal Service will be delivered quickly, securely, and efficiently, but this defendant’s reprehensible conduct violated that public trust and victimized numerous people as she enriched herself. Thanks to the outstanding investigative work by the USPS Inspector General and FDLE, and this successful prosecution by my office, we will ensure she is held fully accountable for her crimes.”

Court documents reflect that the defendant has been a United States Postal Service employee for approximately eight years. An investigation revealed that the defendant had stolen numerous gift cards from outgoing mail in her capacity as a Postal employee. 

In December 2025, the defendant intercepted two envelopes containing gift cards while at work. The defendant removed the gift cards from the outgoing mail and then proceeded to use them at a store in Tallahassee and at a gas station in Quincy, Florida. Later, in July 2026, law enforcement observed the defendant open a letter, put $1,000 in her pocket, and placed the empty envelope in an outgoing mail tub. The defendant was placed under arrest, and law enforcement found the stolen $1,000 in the defendant’s pocket. Following the defendant’s arrest, law enforcement conducted a search of her vehicle. Numerous gift cards were recovered. According to court records, law enforcement successfully identified several victims who had sent the gift cards before their mail was intercepted by the defendant. The defendant was also captured on security footage at various locations using the stolen gift cards while still dressed in her Postal employee uniform. 

Blair faces up to five years in prison for each count of theft of mail by a postal employee. 

The case was jointly investigated by the United States Postal Service Office of Inspector General and the Florida Department of Law Enforcement. Assistant United States Attorney Emma Schwan is prosecuting the case. 

The United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Florida is one of 94 offices that serve as the nation’s principal litigators under the direction of the Attorney General. To access available public court documents online, please visit the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Florida website. For more information about the United States Attorney’s Office, Northern District of Florida, visit https://www.justice.gov/usao-ndfl.

Tallahassee, Florida – Stacy Michelle Braxton, 39, of Marianna, Florida, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Mark E. Walker to 59 days of incarceration and two years of supervised release after previously pleading guilty to one count of delay or destruction of mail. The sentence was announced by John P. Heekin, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida. 

U.S. Attorney Heekin said: “Our citizens rely upon the mail to be delivered quickly, securely, and efficiently, and this postal carrier’s reprehensible violation of the public trust placed in her to fulfill that duty deserves serious punishment. I applaud the excellent work of the USPS Inspector General to identify, investigate, and hold accountable this criminal behavior by a postal carrier. My office will aggressively prosecute crimes impacting our U.S. mail system to ensure our citizens can continue to trust the reliability of our postal service.”

Court documents reflect that the defendant was a rural mail carrier for the Greenwood Post Office in Jackson County, Florida. In February 2026, law enforcement recovered 498 pieces of mail from the defendant’s mail route that were discarded in a burn barrel in Marianna, Florida. The defendant admitted to investigators that she attempted to discard and burn the mail from her route rather than delivering the mail to the designated recipients. 

The case was investigated by the United States Postal Service – Office of Inspector General. Assistant United States Attorney Emma Schwan prosecuted the case.

The United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Florida is one of 94 offices that serve as the nation’s principal litigators under the direction of the Attorney General. To access available public court documents online, please visit the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Florida website. For more information about the United States Attorney’s Office, Northern District of Florida, visit https://www.justice.gov/usao-ndfl.

Gainesville, Florida – Jomekia Archer, 46, of Gainesville, Florida, was sentenced to 20 months in federal prison after previously pleading guilty to one count of possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. The sentence was announced by John P. Heekin, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida. 

U.S. Attorney Heekin said: “I applaud the investigative work by the Gainesville Police Department, with support from our federal law enforcement partners, which facilitated our successful prosecution of this violent offender. Keeping our communities safe from the predations of violent felons, like this defendant, is a top priority for my office.”

Court documents reflect that on March 14, 2026, the defendant arrived at her home to find her neighbors hosting a birthday party. The defendant appeared to be intoxicated and became upset that people were parked in front of her residence. The defendant began using profanity, demanded that the neighbors move their cars, and stated “I got some for y’all.” The defendant went inside her residence and returned carrying a rifle which she then pointed at multiple adults and children. The subsequent investigation determined the rifle had been previously reported stolen out of Polk County, Texas.  The defendant had been previously convicted of possession of cocaine and sale of cannabis, and was legally prohibited from possessing a firearm.

The case involved an investigation by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives and the Gainesville Police Department. Assistant United States Attorney Tyler Fleming prosecuted the case.

Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) is the Department of Justice’s nationwide initiative that brings federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement, prosecutors, and other public safety partners together to coordinate efforts to combat violent crime and make communities safe. Coordinated by U.S. Attorneys’ offices in each of the 94 federal districts, PSN is tailored to particular communities to strategically address specific violent crime and public safety challenges. As a key component of Operation Take Back America, PSN serves a central role in the Department’s commitment to make our country safe. PSN emphasizes three core principles: rapid federal response to violent crime and criminal offenders; strong, strategic partnerships among law enforcement at all levels; and accountability and deterrence through the prosecution of the most serious, readily provable offenses and other strategies. These efforts complement and strengthen President Trump’s Homeland Security Task Forces, ensuring a comprehensive federal response to the most pressing public safety issues facing communities.

The United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Florida is one of 94 offices that serve as the nation’s principal litigators under the direction of the Attorney General.  To access public court documents online, please visit the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Florida website. For more information about the United States Attorney’s Office, Northern District of Florida, visit https://www.justice.gov/usao-ndfl.

Pensacola, Florida – Christopher M. Mayer, 32, of Navarre, Florida, pleaded guilty in federal court to one count of conspiracy to distribute, receive, and possess visual depictions of minors engaged in sexually explicit conduct, and one count of receipt of child pornography. John P. Heekin, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida announced the guilty plea. 

U.S. Attorney Heekin said: “Our excellent state and federal law enforcement partners remain ever-vigilant in the fight against sexual predators peddling child sexual abuse material online, and I deeply appreciate their excellent investigative work that supported the successful prosecution of this defendant by my office. Keeping our kids safe from these sick individuals demands aggressive prosecutions and severe punishments, and that is exactly what my office will continue to pursue in these cases.”

Court records reveal the defendant communicated with others via online social media platforms regarding the sexual exploitation of minors. This led to law enforcement executing a search warrant for his electronics at his residence earlier this year. Law enforcement seized over two dozen terabytes data from the defendant’s electronic devices, which revealed the defendant in possession of multiple cellular telephones as well as a computer tower full of child pornography and computer-generated streaming videos of child sexual abuse. The defendant was found to be online discussing these illicit images and sharing them with others.

Mayer will be sentenced in federal court before United States District Judge T. Kent Wetherell, II in Pensacola, Florida, on December 3, 2026, at 2:00 p.m.

Mayer faces a mandatory minimum of 5 years’ imprisonment, and up to 20 years’ imprisonment, on each of the counts. Mayer would also be required to register as a sexual offender and forfeit all the electronic devices utilized to commit the crimes.

The case was jointly investigated by Homeland Security Investigations and the Santa Rosa County Sheriff’s Office. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys David L. Goldberg and Thomas S.P. Geeker. 

This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys' Offices and CEOS, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit Justice.gov/PSC.

The United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Florida is one of 94 offices that serve as the nation’s principal litigators under the direction of the Attorney General. To access public court documents online, please visit the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Florida website.  For more information about the United States Attorney’s Office, Northern District of Florida, visit https://www.justice.gov/usao-ndfl.

Gainesville, Florida – Trinity Joy Johnson, 26, of Gainesville, pleaded guilty in federal court to two counts of sexual exploitation of children producing child pornography, fifteen counts of distribution of child pornography, and one count of possession of child pornography. The plea was announced by John P. Heekin, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida. 

U.S. Attorney Heekin said: “Thanks to the outstanding investigative work by the Alachua County Sheriff’s Office and Homeland Security Investigations, my office was able to aggressively prosecute this defendant to ensure she is held fully accountable for her disgusting crimes victimizing an innocent child.”

Court documents reflect that the defendant used her cell phone to take sexually explicit photographs of a toddler that she was supposed to be taking care of. The defendant then shared those photos, and other files of child pornography, online with strangers while discussing sexually explicit topics. A search of the defendant’s phone revealed over 100 files that depicted child sex abuse material.

As to each count of production of child pornography, Johnson faces a minimum term of fifteen years’ imprisonment and a maximum term of thirty years’ imprisonment. As to each count for distribution of child pornography, Johnson faces a minimum term of five years’ imprisonment and a maximum term of twenty years’ imprisonment. As to the sole count of possession of child pornography, Johnson faces a maximum term of twenty years’ imprisonment.

Sentencing is scheduled for November 23, 2026, at 3:00 p.m., at the United States Courthouse in Gainesville, Florida before Chief United States District Court Judge Allen C. Winsor. 

The case was investigated by the Alachua County Sheriff’s Office and Homeland Security Investigations. Assistant United States Attorney Adam Hapner is prosecuting the case.

This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys' Offices and CEOS, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit Justice.gov/PSC.

The United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Florida is one of 94 offices that serve as the nation’s principal litigators under the direction of the Attorney General. To access public court documents online, please visit the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Florida website. For more information about the United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Florida, visit https://www.justice.gov/usao-ndfl.

Gainesville, Florida – Osman Antonio Guerrero-Torres, 47, of Honduras, was sentenced to 57 months in federal prison after pleading guilty to illegal reentry into the United States. The sentence was announced by John P. Heekin, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida. 

U.S. Attorney Heekin said: “Americans deserve to live in a country with secure borders and a government willing to enforce our laws to keep them safe. Fortunately, President Donald J. Trump and Attorney General Todd Blanche are committed to fulfilling both of those promises to our citizens, and my office will continue to aggressively prosecute these brazen violators of our nation’s immigration laws to keep our communities safe.”

Court documents reflect that the defendant, a citizen of Honduras, was removed from the United States on seven prior occasions. The defendant has one prior conviction for illegal reentry into the United States. Additionally, the defendant was previously convicted of Vehicular Assault, where an officer conducted a traffic stop, and the defendant tried to flee, and almost struck an officer. The defendant was also previously convicted of possession of a controlled substance, possession of drug paraphernalia, obstructing a peace officer, criminal mischief, reckless endangerment, and possession of cocaine. 

The case was investigated by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Enforcement and Removal Operations and the Gainesville Police Department. Assistant United States Attorney Tyler Fleming prosecuted the case.

This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.

The United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Florida is one of 94 offices that serve as the nation’s principal litigators under the direction of the Attorney General.  To access public court documents online, please visit the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Florida website. For more information about the United States Attorney’s Office, Northern District of Florida, visit https://www.justice.gov/usao-ndfl.

Gainesville, Florida – Taurean Jaquan Servance, 24, Jarrett Abram Servance, 45, Jarrett Abram Servance Jr., 25, Terry Lajace Lee, 44, Christopher Eugene Thompson, 56, and Clinton Thomas, 43, all of Gainesville, Florida, have been indicted in federal court for conspiracy to violate the Animal Welfare Act. In addition, Thompson has been indicted on 13 counts of possession of fighting dogs; Thomas has been indicted on 12 counts of possession of fighting dogs; Taurean Servance and Jarrett Servance Jr. have been indicted on 11 counts of possession of fighting dogs; and Jarrett Servance has been indicted on 6 counts of possession of fighting dogs. John P. Heekin, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida, announced the charges.

Jury trial for all defendants is scheduled for October 21, 2026, before Chief District Court Judge Allen C. Winsor in Gainesville, Florida.

The penalty for each count charged is a maximum of 5 years’ imprisonment.

The case was jointly investigated by the United States Department of Agriculture – Office of Inspector General, the Gainesville Police Department, Alachua County Sherriff’s Office, and Alachua County Animal Resources. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Adam Hapner. 

An indictment is merely an allegation by a grand jury that a defendant has committed a violation of federal criminal law and is not evidence of guilt. All defendants are presumed innocent and entitled to a fair trial, during which it will be the government’s burden to prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt at trial. 

The United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Florida is one of 94 offices that serve as the nation’s principal litigators under the direction of the Attorney General.  To access public court documents online, please visit the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Florida website. For more information about the United States Attorney’s Office, Northern District of Florida, visit https://www.justice.gov/usao-ndfl.

Tallahassee, Florida – Nicholas Michael Freeman, 48, of Perry, Florida, was sentenced to 57 months in federal prison for possession with intent to distribute five grams or more of methamphetamine, cocaine, and cocaine base. The sentence was announced by John P. Heekin, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida. 

U.S. Attorney Heekin said: “This repeat offender clearly did not learn his lesson from his prior stint in federal prison, so my office has sent him back behind bars to ensure he can’t continue to peddle deadly drugs on our streets. We will continue to aggressively prosecute any and all drug dealers operating in the Northern District of Florida to deliver on the promise of Operation Take Back America that our citizens deserve to live in safe, drug-free communities.”

Court documents reflect that a Perry Police Department officer speaking with a group of individuals around a burn barrel observed the defendant manipulating a plastic baggie commonly used for street sales of narcotics, containing what the officer believed to be a pill. The officer handcuffed the defendant removed the baggie from his pocket and determined that it actually contained a piece of crack cocaine. The defendant was arrested and officers searched the fanny pack he had been wearing, finding 57 small baggies containing methamphetamine, 99 small baggies containing crack and powder cocaine, and 25 small baggies and nine large sandwich style bags containing synthetic cannabinoids.

“Freeman has been engaged in serious criminal activity for more than three decades, with a lengthy history that includes convictions for lewd assault/sexual battery involving a victim under 16, cocaine sale and distribution offenses, and other drug-related crimes,” said Perry Police Department Chief James N. Cruse Jr. “This case is another example of the outstanding work performed every day by Perry Police Department officers. The patrol officer involved recognized what he was observing, acted lawfully and professionally, and conducted a thorough investigation that directly led to Freeman’s arrest and subsequent federal conviction. I commend the officer and all personnel involved for their attention to detail and commitment to protecting our community.”

The defendant’s federal sentence will begin after he serves a 30-month state sentence for violation of probation. 

This is the second time the defendant has been sentenced to federal prison. The defendant was previously convicted in 2013 of possession with intent to distribute cocaine and cocaine base and sentenced to 84 months in federal prison.

“This repeat offender continues to traffic illicit and dangerous substances in Florida Pan Handle communities,” said DEA Special Agent in Charge Daniel Escobar, Tampa Field Division. “This area is a point of emphasis for our agents, which is reflected in the number of criminals we’ve brought to justice.”

The case involved an investigation by the Perry Police Department and the Drug Enforcement Administration. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys James A. McCain and Eric W. Welch.

This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.

The United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Florida is one of 94 offices that serve as the nation’s principal litigators under the direction of the Attorney General.  To access public court documents online, please visit the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Florida website. For more information about the United States Attorney’s Office, Northern District of Florida, visit https://www.justice.gov/usao-ndfl.

Joint national takedown: 40 U.S. Attorney’s Offices, along with 20 federal and state investigative agencies, participate in two-month enforcement surge.

Pensacola, Florida – The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Florida today announced an indictment as part of a nationwide enforcement action led by the Justice Department’s National Fraud Enforcement Division, the Small Business Administration (SBA), and the SBA Office of Inspector General targeting fraud in the SBA’s Paycheck Protection Program (PPP). The Northern District of Florida was a key participant in this surge effort. 

From June 12 to September 1, federal prosecutors across the country facilitated fraud enforcement actions spanning over 160 criminal defendants, including approximately 80 newly charged defendants, reaching approximately $245 million dollars in intended loss to American taxpayers.

U.S. Attorney John P. Heekin said: “The Justice Department’s National Fraud Enforcement Division is answering the call to action issued by President Donald J. Trump and Vice President J.D. Vance to fulfill the fiduciary duty owed to the U.S taxpayer by our federal government. As evidenced by this indictment, my office is committed to zealously prosecuting frauds of all sizes through both criminal and civil enforcement as we restore the zero-tolerance threshold for fraud, waste, and abuse within federal programs.”

“Pandemic loan relief was meant to keep American small businesses alive during government lockdowns—not line the pockets of fraudsters,” said Attorney General Todd Blanche. “The defendants charged during our summer surge allegedly fabricated businesses, submitted false payroll and revenue claims, stole identities, and concealed foreign ties on their applications— but they will now be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.”

“This summer surge shows what is possible when dedicated public servants across the country work together with a single purpose,” said Assistant Attorney General Colin M. McDonald of the National Fraud Enforcement Division. “Our mission is clear: protect taxpayer funds, safeguard the integrity of federal relief programs, and deliver justice to those who exploited them. We will remain steadfast every day—standing shoulder-to-shoulder with our partners—to identify fraud, pursue those responsible, and restore confidence in the programs meant to help American small businesses thrive.”

“Today’s announcement represents the largest-ever action against perpetrators of SBA fraud, with 870,000 suspended borrowers tied to $39 billion in suspected fraudulent PPP and COVID EIDL activity. In partnership with Vice President Vance and the White House Task Force to Eliminate Fraud, we’re putting fraudsters on notice: the federal government will no longer turn a blind eye to those who stole from taxpayers and exploited programs designed to sustain small businesses during the pandemic,” said SBA Administrator Kelly Loeffler. “With demand letters going out to suspected fraudsters, we’re also sending a clear message that they must repay their debts or face Treasury collections and possible federal law enforcement. Under this Administration, the free ride is over. We are restoring accountability, recovering taxpayer dollars, and protecting SBA programs for the legitimate small businesses they were created to serve.”

“Operation No Doze brings a focused and coordinated approach to pursuing fraud in SBA’s pandemic relief programs,” said SBA Inspector General William Kirk. “By concentrating our investigative resources and working closely with SBA and our law enforcement partners, we are strengthening our ability to identify fraud, recover taxpayer funds, and hold accountable those who exploited programs created to help small businesses in a time of extraordinary need. This initiative makes clear that the passage of time does not diminish our commitment to accountability.”

In the Northern District of Florida, U.S. Attorney John P. Heekin announced that Ray Pearson has been charged with PPP-related fraud involving approximately $20,142.00 in alleged losses. As alleged in the indictment, the defendant submitted falsified 2019 tax information that materially misrepresented the gross income of a construction business in order to fraudulently obtain and attempt to obtain a loan from the Small Business Administration Paycheck Protection Program. If convicted, the defendant faces up to 20 years’ imprisonment and forfeiture of assets.

This case is being investigated by the United States Air Force, Office of Special Investigations. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Jessica S. Etherton and Walter E. Narramore.

An indictment is merely an allegation by a grand jury that a defendant has committed a violation of federal criminal law and is not evidence of guilt. All defendants are presumed innocent and entitled to a fair trial, during which it will be the government’s burden to prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt at trial. 

On April 7, the Department of Justice announced the creation of the National Fraud Enforcement Division (“Fraud Division”). The Fraud Division is laser-focused on investigating and prosecuting those who commit fraud against the American people. The Department’s work to combat fraud supports President Trump’s Task Force to Eliminate Fraud, a whole-of-government effort chaired by Vice President J.D. Vance to eliminate fraud, waste, and abuse within Federal benefit programs.

The United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Florida is one of 94 offices that serve as the nation’s principal litigators under the direction of the Attorney General.  To access public court documents online, please visit the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Florida website. For more information about the United States Attorney’s Office, Northern District of Florida, visit https://www.justice.gov/usao-ndfl.

Gainesville, Florida – Arthur Young, 23, of Miramar, Florida pleaded guilty in federal court to the sexual exploitation of children, producing child pornography, and possession of child pornography. John P. Heekin, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida, announced the plea today.

U.S. Attorney Heekin said: “Our children face unprecedented threats online from sexual predators seeking to sexually exploit and victimize them. It is vitally important for parents to be aware of those threats and what their kids are doing online to prevent them from being victimized. Keeping our kids safe, both online and in our communities, is a top priority for my office, and we will continue to aggressively prosecute these crimes to ensure predators, like this defendant, are locked away behind bars where they belong.”

Court documents reflect that between at least May 2024 and September 2024, the defendant communicated with a twelve-year-old child he met online. The defendant initiated multiple live video calls with her and, during these calls, used, induced, and persuaded her to engage in sexually explicit conduct. After the minor’s family reported the defendant’s misconduct to law enforcement, the subsequent investigation revealed that the defendant communicated online with over thirty other minors across multiple social media platforms. Law enforcement also recovered numerous files of child pornography on the defendant’s electronic devices.

Young faces a minimum term of fifteen years’ imprisonment, a maximum term of fifty years’ imprisonment, and a lifetime on supervised release. 

Sentencing is scheduled before Chief United States District Judge Allen C. Winsor, in Gainesville, Florida on November 23, 2026, at 1:00 p.m.

The case was jointly investigated by Homeland Security Investigations, the Gainesville Police Department, and the Westminster (Colorado) Police Department. Assistant United States Attorney Adam Hapner is prosecuting the case.

This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys' Offices and CEOS, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit Justice.gov/PSC.

The United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Florida is one of 94 offices that serve as the nation’s principal litigators under the direction of the Attorney General. To access public court documents online, please visit the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Florida website. For more information about the United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Florida, visit https://www.justice.gov/usao-ndfl.

Pensacola, Florida – Darin Leigh Roy Vanness, 32, of Milton, Florida, was sentenced to 70 months in federal prison for possessing a firearm as a convicted felon. The sentence was announced by John P. Heekin, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida. 

U.S. Attorney Heekin said: “Keeping dangerous, violent felons, like this defendant, off our streets is the surest way to keep our communities safe. I appreciate the excellent investigative work by our state and federal law enforcement partners to bring this dangerous criminal to justice.”

Court documents reflect that Milton Police Department obtained a warrant to search the defendant’s home after receiving reports that he had fired a pistol inside the home during a domestic dispute. The defendant is a convicted felon and cannot legally possess a firearm. Upon searching the home, investigators found four 3D printers, multiple firearms made up of printed and manufactured gun parts, additional gun parts - both printed and manufactured - a Winchester rifle, significant amounts of ammunition, and some drugs and drug paraphernalia. 

“I am extremely proud of the hard work, dedication, and investigative efforts demonstrated by the Milton Police Department throughout this case,” said Milton Police Chief Frank. “This case is a strong example of what can be accomplished when law enforcement and our prosecutorial partners work together with a shared commitment to justice, accountability, and the safety of the community we serve.”

The case involved an investigation by the Milton Police Department, the Santa Rosa County Sheriff’s Office and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Jessica Etherton and Walter E. Narramore.

Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) is the Department of Justice’s nationwide initiative that brings federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement, prosecutors, and other public safety partners together to coordinate efforts to combat violent crime and make communities safe. Coordinated by U.S. Attorneys’ offices in each of the 94 federal districts, PSN is tailored to particular communities to strategically address specific violent crime and public safety challenges. As a key component of Operation Take Back America, PSN serves a central role in the Department’s commitment to make our country safe. PSN emphasizes three core principles: rapid federal response to violent crime and criminal offenders; strong, strategic partnerships among law enforcement at all levels; and accountability and deterrence through the prosecution of the most serious, readily provable offenses and other strategies. These efforts complement and strengthen President Trump’s Homeland Security Task Forces, ensuring a comprehensive federal response to the most pressing public safety issues facing communities.

The United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Florida is one of 94 offices that serve as the nation’s principal litigators under the direction of the Attorney General.  To access public court documents online, please visit the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Florida website. For more information about the United States Attorney’s Office, Northern District of Florida, visit https://www.justice.gov/usao-ndfl.

Gainesville, Florida – Moises Ramiro Lopez-Zenteno, 37, of Mexico, was sentenced to 18 months in federal prison after pleading guilty to illegal reentry into the United States. The sentence was announced by John P. Heekin, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida. 

U.S. Attorney Heekin said, “This violent criminal illegal alien has learned that we have zero-tolerance for criminality of any kind in the Northern District of Florida, and he’ll see the inside of a federal prison before being removed from our country. Keeping our citizens safe from the predations of violent criminal illegal aliens, like this defendant, is of paramount importance, and my office stands ready to aggressively prosecute cases like this to ensure our immigration laws are fully enforced.”

Court documents reflect that the defendant, a citizen of Mexico, departed the United States in 2016 after an Immigration Judge entered an Order of Removal. On September 27, 2025, the defendant was involved in a domestic dispute where he struck a female and threatened her with a knife. The defendant was arrested and convicted of Aggravated Assault with a Deadly Weapon. 

"Criminal illegal aliens who have previously been removed from the United States and choose to return illegally return and commit additional crimes against our citizens show a blatant disregard for our laws," said ICE Miami Field Office Director Matthew Elliston. "ICE remains committed to our mission of public safety by identifying, arresting, and removing those who pose a danger to the public, especially those who have demonstrated violent behavior."

The case was investigated by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Enforcement and Removal Operations and the Gainesville Police Department. Assistant United States Attorney Tyler Fleming prosecuted the case.

This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.

The United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Florida is one of 94 offices that serve as the nation’s principal litigators under the direction of the Attorney General.  To access public court documents online, please visit the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Florida website. For more information about the United States Attorney’s Office, Northern District of Florida, visit https://www.justice.gov/usao-ndfl.

Pensacola, Florida – Alaisjah Perkins, 23, of Pensacola, Florida, was sentenced to 20 months in federal prison for possessing unregistered firearms. The sentence was announced by John P. Heekin, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida. 

U.S. Attorney Heekin said: “Our state and federal law enforcement partners are committed to keeping our communities safe, and work hard every day to accomplish that mission, as evidenced by this investigation that led to our successful prosecution. Following the law is not optional, and my office stands ready to hold offenders accountable.”

Court documents reflect that the defendant used a 3D printer to print machine gun diversion devices for AR-15 rifles and then sold them online. The device inserts into an AR-15 rifle and converts it from semi-automatic to fully automatic. An undercover ATF officer purchased 12 conversion devices from the defendant on two occasions before obtaining a search warrant for his home, where they found the 3D printer, printing material, and 13 additional devices.

The case involved an investigation by the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Chris Patterson and Walter E. Narramore.

Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) is the Department of Justice’s nationwide initiative that brings federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement, prosecutors, and other public safety partners together to coordinate efforts to combat violent crime and make communities safe. Coordinated by U.S. Attorneys’ offices in each of the 94 federal districts, PSN is tailored to particular communities to strategically address specific violent crime and public safety challenges. As a key component of Operation Take Back America, PSN serves a central role in the Department’s commitment to make our country safe. PSN emphasizes three core principles: rapid federal response to violent crime and criminal offenders; strong, strategic partnerships among law enforcement at all levels; and accountability and deterrence through the prosecution of the most serious, readily provable offenses and other strategies. These efforts complement and strengthen President Trump’s Homeland Security Task Forces, ensuring a comprehensive federal response to the most pressing public safety issues facing communities.

The United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Florida is one of 94 offices that serve as the nation’s principal litigators under the direction of the Attorney General.  To access public court documents online, please visit the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Florida website. For more information about the United States Attorney’s Office, Northern District of Florida, visit https://www.justice.gov/usao-ndfl.

Tallahassee, Florida – Robert Edward Nixon, 61, Qunicy, Florida, has been found guilty by a federal jury in Tallahassee following a two-day jury trial for possession of a firearm and ammunition by a convicted felon. John P. Heekin, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida, announced the guilty verdict.

U.S. Attorney Heekin said: “My team of tenacious federal prosecutors continues to deliver outstanding trial victories to hold accountable any and all criminals who brazenly violate our laws. My thanks go out to our state and federal law enforcement partners, whose excellent investigative work led to this successful prosecution.”

Court records and trial testimony revealed that on February 10, 2026, during a law enforcement investigation, a search warrant was executed on the defendant’s residence. Two loaded handguns were discovered in the defendant’s nightstand. The defendant was previously convicted in the United States District Court, Northern District of Florida, Tallahassee Division, in 2011 of three felonies, including two counts of conspiracy to steal or misapply funds from an organization that receives federal assistance and to commit wire fraud and aiding and abetting or misapplying funds as a credit union employee. The defendant was terminated from his position as the City Manager of Quincy in June 2025.   

The case was jointly investigated by the Office of the State Attorney, Second Judicial Circuit, the Florida Department of Law Enforcement, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Christie S. Utt.

Sentencing is scheduled for November 19, 2026, at 11 a.m. in the United States Courthouse in Tallahassee before Chief United States District Judge Allen C. Winsor.

Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) is the Department of Justice’s nationwide initiative that brings federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement, prosecutors, and other public safety partners together to coordinate efforts to combat violent crime and make communities safe. Coordinated by U.S. Attorneys’ offices in each of the 94 federal districts, PSN is tailored to particular communities to strategically address specific violent crime and public safety challenges. As a key component of Operation Take Back America, PSN serves a central role in the Department’s commitment to make our country safe. PSN emphasizes three core principles: rapid federal response to violent crime and criminal offenders; strong, strategic partnerships among law enforcement at all levels; and accountability and deterrence through the prosecution of the most serious, readily provable offenses and other strategies. These efforts complement and strengthen President Trump’s Homeland Security Task Forces, ensuring a comprehensive federal response to the most pressing public safety issues facing communities.

The United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Florida is one of 94 offices that serve as the nation’s principal litigators under the direction of the Attorney General. To access public court documents online, please visit the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Florida website. For more information about the United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Florida, visit https://www.justice.gov/usao-ndfl.

Tallahassee, Florida – Michael Dontavious James, 34, of Marianna, Florida, pleaded guilty in federal court to possession with intent to distribute controlled substances, possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking offense, and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. The plea was announced by John P. Heekin, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida.

U.S. Attorney Heekin said: “Keeping dangerous career criminals off our streets remains a top priority for my office. We will aggressively prosecute these cases until our citizens have the safe, drug-free communities they deserve.” 

Court documents reflect that on March 2, 2024, during a Florida Highway Patrol Trooper’s traffic stop, the Trooper smelled the odor of fresh green marijuana as he approached the defendant’s vehicle. The defendant was asked if there were any weapons in the vehicle, at which time he looked toward the front passenger windshield area and answered in the negative. During a subsequent search of the vehicle, law enforcement located a black bag secured to a black hose that was connected to the engine. The bag contained .3 grams of alpha PiHP, 1.98 grams of methamphetamine, and 15.9 grams of cocaine base. The bag also contained two 9mm firearms with loaded magazines and a bullet in each chamber. The defendant is a convicted felon and prohibited from possessing firearms.

James faces up to twenty years’ imprisonment on the controlled substances count, up to fifteen years’ imprisonment for the possession of a firearm by a felon count, and a consecutive mandatory minimum sentence of five years’ imprisonment for possessing the firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime.             

The case involved a joint investigation by the Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Florida Highway Patrol. Assistant United States Attorneys Jessica Etherton and Eric Welch are prosecuting the case.

Sentencing is scheduled for November 16, 2026, at 10:00 a.m. at the United States Courthouse in Tallahassee before Chief United States District Judge Allen Winsor.

Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) is the Department of Justice’s nationwide initiative that brings federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement, prosecutors, and other public safety partners together to coordinate efforts to combat violent crime and make communities safe. Coordinated by U.S. Attorneys’ offices in each of the 94 federal districts, PSN is tailored to particular communities to strategically address specific violent crime and public safety challenges. As a key component of Operation Take Back America, PSN serves a central role in the Department’s commitment to make our country safe. PSN emphasizes three core principles: rapid federal response to violent crime and criminal offenders; strong, strategic partnerships among law enforcement at all levels; and accountability and deterrence through the prosecution of the most serious, readily provable offenses and other strategies. These efforts complement and strengthen President Trump’s Homeland Security Task Forces, ensuring a comprehensive federal response to the most pressing public safety issues facing communities.

The United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Florida is one of 94 offices that serve as the nation’s principal litigators under the direction of the Attorney General. To access available public court documents online, please visit the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Florida website. For more information about the United States Attorney’s Office, Northern District of Florida, visit https://www.justice.gov/usao-ndfl.

Pensacola, Florida – Marcel Mickles, 49, of Pensacola, Florida, was sentenced to 132 months in federal prison after previously pleading guilty to multiple counts of distributing cocaine, unlawful possession of firearms in furtherance of drug trafficking crimes, and possession of firearms by a previously convicted felon. The sentence was announced by John P. Heekin, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida. 

U.S. Attorney Heekin said: “This serial felon’s days of flooding our streets with deadly drugs are over, and he’ll spend the next decade behind bars where he belongs because of his choice to poison our community with drugs and violence. The citizens of the Northern District of Florida deserve to live on safe, drug-free streets, and my office will deliver on that promise with more aggressive prosecutions and lengthy prison sentences for career offenders, like this defendant.”

Court records reflect that the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office received information that the defendant was selling cocaine from his residence in Pensacola, Florida.  As part of an undercover operation, cocaine was purchased from the defendant. Law enforcement obtained a search warrant for his residence and located multiple loaded firearms throughout the house, methamphetamine, cocaine, fentanyl, spice, and drug paraphernalia indicative of someone selling drugs. The defendant has multiple prior convictions, including armed robbery, aggravated battery, possession of controlled substances, and carrying a concealed weapon. 

Escambia County Sheriff Chip Simmons said: “This case is a direct result of strong partnerships. When local law enforcement and the U.S. Attorney’s Office work side by side, we get results. This sentence reflects the power of that teamwork and our shared commitment to public safety. We are grateful for these partnerships and what they mean for the safety of our community.” 

The case involved a joint investigation by the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.  The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Jessica Etherton and Walter E. Narramore. 

Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) is the Department of Justice’s nationwide initiative that brings federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement, prosecutors, and other public safety partners together to coordinate efforts to combat violent crime and make communities safe. Coordinated by U.S. Attorneys’ offices in each of the 94 federal districts, PSN is tailored to particular communities to strategically address specific violent crime and public safety challenges. As a key component of Operation Take Back America, PSN serves a central role in the Department’s commitment to make our country safe. PSN emphasizes three core principles: rapid federal response to violent crime and criminal offenders; strong, strategic partnerships among law enforcement at all levels; and accountability and deterrence through the prosecution of the most serious, readily provable offenses and other strategies. These efforts complement and strengthen President Trump’s Homeland Security Task Forces, ensuring a comprehensive federal response to the most pressing public safety issues facing communities.

The United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Florida is one of 94 offices that serve as the nation’s principal litigators under the direction of the Attorney General.  To access public court documents online, please visit the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Florida website. For more information about the United States Attorney’s Office, Northern District of Florida, visit https://www.justice.gov/usao-ndfl.

Pensacola, Florida – Aubrey Darnell Joseph Sr., 36, of Fort Walton Beach, Florida, pleaded guilty in federal court to conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl and possession with intent to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl. John P. Heekin, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida announced the charges.

U.S. Attorney Heekin said: “President Donald J. Trump designated fentanyl as a weapon of mass destruction because of the utter devastation it has wrought on communities nationwide, and this criminal was caught peddling large quantities of this deadly drug to make a profit off of the death and despair it inflicts. Thanks to the outstanding investigative work of our state and federal law enforcement partners, supported by the Gulf Coast High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area Task Force, his days of threatening the health and safety of our communities are now at an end.” 

Court records establish that between 2024 and 2026, the defendant participated in a conspiracy to obtain and distribute large quantities of fentanyl in the Northern District of Florida. In April 2026, federal authorities executed a search warrant at the defendant’s house in Fort Walton Beach, during which nearly two and a half kilograms of fentanyl, an industrial sized press and multiple press plates, and almost $5,000 in cash were found and seized. 

The defendant faces a minimum mandatory sentence of 10 years’ imprisonment, and up to life imprisonment, on each count.

The case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Okaloosa County Sheriff’s Office, with assistance from the Gulf Coast High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area (HIDTA) Task Force. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Jessica S. Etherton and Alicia H. Forbes. 

This prosecution is part of the Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) initiative established by Executive Order 14159, Protecting the American People Against Invasion. The HSTF is a whole-of-government partnership dedicated to eliminating criminal cartels, foreign gangs, transnational criminal organizations, and human smuggling and trafficking rings operating in the United States and abroad. Through historic interagency collaboration, the HSTF directs the full might of United States law enforcement towards identifying, investigating, and prosecuting the full spectrum of crimes committed by these organizations, which have long fueled violence and instability within our borders. In performing this work, the HSTF places special emphasis on investigating and prosecuting those engaged in child trafficking or other crimes involving children. The HSTF further utilizes all available tools to prosecute and remove the most violent criminal aliens from the United States. HSTF comprises agents and officers from multiple agencies with the prosecution being led by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Florida.

The United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Florida is one of 94 offices that serve as the nation’s principal litigators under the direction of the Attorney General.  To access public court documents online, please visit the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Florida website. For more information about the United States Attorney’s Office, Northern District of Florida, visit https://www.justice.gov/usao-ndfl.

Tallahassee, Florida – Joseph Primus Gainer, 44, of Panama City Beach, Florida, pleaded guilty in federal court on charges of possession with intent to distribute fentanyl and marijuana, and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. John P. Heekin, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida announced the guilty plea.

U.S. Attorney Heekin said, “Keeping this serial felon off our streets and locked away behind bars is going to have a meaningful impact on the public safety of our communities. I applaud the excellent investigative work of our state and federal law enforcement partners to help bring this repeat offender to justice, and commit that my office will continue to aggressively prosecute these cases to deliver the safe, drug-free streets the citizens of the Northern District of Florida deserve.”

Court records reflect that pursuant to a joint law enforcement investigation of the defendant, a search warrant was served on the defendant’s Panama City residence. During the search, law enforcement located and seized fentanyl tablets, marijuana, drug paraphernalia, and a loaded Taurus 9-millimeter handgun. The defendant has multiple prior felony convictions dating back to 2005 including felon in possession of a firearm and possession of controlled substances. 

Gainer faces enhanced penalties of up to 30 years’ imprisonment on the drug count due to a prior drug trafficking conviction and up to 15 years’ imprisonment on the firearm count. Sentencing is scheduled for October 16, 2026, at 1:00pm before District Court Judge Mark E. Walker in Tallahassee, Florida.

The case was jointly investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Bay County Sheriff’s Office, the Panama City Beach Police Department, and the Panama City Police Department. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Eric K. Mountin. 

This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.

The United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Florida is one of 94 offices that serve as the nation’s principal litigators under the direction of the Attorney General.  To access public court documents online, please visit the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Florida website. For more information about the United States Attorney’s Office, Northern District of Florida, visit https://www.justice.gov/usao-ndfl.

Pensacola, Florida – Andre Darrell Perry, 37, of Pensacola, Florida, and Loredana Alessandra Bassolino, 38, of Navarre, Florida, pleaded guilty in federal court to possession with intent to distribute more than 40 grams of fentanyl and more than 5 grams of methamphetamine. Perry also pleaded guilty to additional charges of possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking offense and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. The pleas were announced by John P. Heekin, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida.

U.S. Attorney Heekin said: “This pair of repeat offenders has demonstrated an outright refusal to lead law-abiding lives, and the only way we can guarantee the safety of our community is by ensuring they are kept off our streets and behind federal bars where they belong. My office will continue to back up the excellent investigative work of our state and federal law enforcement partners with aggressive prosecutions like this to deliver the safe, drug-free streets our citizens deserve.”

Court documents reflect that on January 14, 2026, federal agents executed an arrest warrant on Perry at a hotel in Pensacola, Florida. When law enforcement made entry into Perry’s hotel room to effectuate the arrest, they observed drug paraphernalia littered throughout the room, along with a “speed loader” tool to quickly load ammunition into firearm magazines. Bassolino, another occupant of the hotel room, admitted that narcotics were present and gave consent to search the room. During their search, law enforcement discovered fentanyl, methamphetamine, and a loaded firearm. Both Bassolino and Perry are convicted felons who are legally prohibited from possessing firearms or ammunition, with Perry most recently being convicted of possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine and fentanyl and possession with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine and fentanyl in July 2025. 

Due to a prior serious drug felony conviction, Perry faces a minimum mandatory sentence of ten years’ imprisonment up to a maximum of life imprisonment on the possession with intent to distribute more than 40 grams of fentanyl and more than 5 grams of methamphetamine count. Perry also faces a minimum mandatory sentence of five years’ imprisonment up to a maximum of life imprisonment, consecutive to any other sentence given in this case, for the possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking offense count and up to 15 years’ imprisonment on the possession by a convicted felon count.

Bassolino faces a minimum mandatory sentence of five years’ imprisonment up to a maximum of forty years’ imprisonment on the possession with intent to distribute more than 40 grams of fentanyl and more than 5 grams of methamphetamine count. 

Bassolino and Perry are scheduled for sentencing on November 3, 2026, at 10:00 am and 1:00 pm respectively, before United States District Judge T. Kent Wetherell, II in Pensacola, Florida.

The case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration with assistance from the United States Marshals Service. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Thomas S.P. Geeker.

Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) is the Department of Justice’s nationwide initiative that brings federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement, prosecutors, and other public safety partners together to coordinate efforts to combat violent crime and make communities safe. Coordinated by U.S. Attorneys’ offices in each of the 94 federal districts, PSN is tailored to particular communities to strategically address specific violent crime and public safety challenges. As a key component of Operation Take Back America, PSN serves a central role in the Department’s commitment to make our country safe. PSN emphasizes three core principles: rapid federal response to violent crime and criminal offenders; strong, strategic partnerships among law enforcement at all levels; and accountability and deterrence through the prosecution of the most serious, readily provable offenses and other strategies. These efforts complement and strengthen President Trump’s Homeland Security Task Forces, ensuring a comprehensive federal response to the most pressing public safety issues facing communities.

The United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Florida is one of 94 offices that serve as the nation’s principal litigators under the direction of the Attorney General.  To access public court documents online, please visit the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Florida website. For more information about the United States Attorney’s Office, Northern District of Florida, visit https://www.justice.gov/usao-ndfl.

Pensacola, Florida – Elliot Maurice Bell, 40, of Fort Walton Beach, Florida was sentenced to 15 years in federal prison after previously pleading guilty to Possession with Intent to Distribute Methamphetamine, Cocaine, and Fentanyl. The sentence was announced by John P. Heekin, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida.

U.S. Attorney Heekin said: “This repeat offender’s days of flooding our streets with deadly drugs has come to an end thanks to the excellent investigative work of the Florida Highway Patrol and the Drug Enforcement Administration. This lengthy sentence should put other criminals on notice: this office will aggressively prosecute anyone who peddles drugs in the Northern District of Florida, and we will seek maximum punishments of those offenders to keep our streets drug-free.” 

According to court records, on April 28, 2024, Bell fled from Florida Highway Patrol. Law enforcement performed a PIT maneuver on his vehicle and after the vehicle was stopped Bell was arrested. A search of the vehicle incident to his arrest revealed methamphetamine, cocaine, and fentanyl. 

“DEA and its law enforcement partners continue to bring drug traffickers in the Florida Pan Handle to justice,” said DEA Special Agent in Charge Daniel Escobar, Tampa Field Division. “We won’t stop until our communities and streets are free from this criminal activity.”

The conviction and sentence were the result of a joint investigation by the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Florida Highway Patrol. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Jeffrey M. Tharp.

This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.

The United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Florida is one of 94 offices that serve as the nation’s principal litigators under the direction of the Attorney General. To access public court documents online, please visit the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Florida website. For more information about the United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Florida, visit https://www.justice.gov/usao-ndfl.

Pensacola, Florida – Adrian Dion Pettaway Jr., 25, of Pensacola, Florida, was sentenced to 28 months in federal prison for distribution of fentanyl, and Gindy Nicole Lacey, 49, of Pensacola, Florida, was sentenced to 60 months in federal prison for distribution of methamphetamine, tramadol, and fentanyl. The sentence was announced by John P. Heekin, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida.

U.S. Attorney Heekin said: “These two cases underscore the excellent investigative work performed by our state and federal law enforcement partners to identify and root out the networks of criminals responsible for flooding our streets with deadly drugs, like meth and fentanyl. The citizens of the Northern District of Florida deserve to live in safe, drug-free communities, and that is exactly what my office will deliver with continued aggressive prosecutions of the drug peddling criminals who have terrorized our streets for far too long.” 

Court records in the separately indicted cases reflect that in November 2024, Lacey sold tramadol pills and methamphetamine to an undercover law enforcement officer. In December 2024, Lacey sold 1,000 pills containing fentanyl during an undercover operation.  Further investigation revealed that Pettaway had supplied Lacey with the fentanyl pills sold during the undercover operation. Lacey was previously convicted of armed bank robbery and brandishing a firearm during the commission of a crime of violence.               

The case involved a joint investigation by Homeland Security Investigations, the Drug Enforcement Administration, and the Florida Department of Law Enforcement. Assistant United States Attorney Jeffrey M. Tharp prosecuted the case.

This case is part of Operation Take Back America a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.

The United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Florida is one of 94 offices that serve as the nation’s principal litigators under the direction of the Attorney General. To access available public court documents online, please visit the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Florida website. For more information about the United States Attorney’s Office, Northern District of Florida, visit https://www.justice.gov/usao-ndfl.

Tallahassee, Florida – Fairley Trey Pitts, 35, of Perry, Florida was sentenced to 10 years in federal prison after previously pleading guilty to possession with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine. The sentence was announced by John P. Heekin, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida.

U.S. Attorney Heekin said: “This repeat felon has demonstrated that the only way we can guarantee he won’t continue to flood our streets with deadly drugs is by keeping him locked away behind bars, and my office will do just that. Anyone who peddles poisonous drugs, like meth, in the Northern District of Florida should be on notice that federal prison awaits them.”

According to court records, on June 9, 2025, a search warrant was executed at Pitts’ home, leading to the discovery of 81 grams of methamphetamine. Pitts was on federal supervision at the time following a 2017 federal conviction for distributing methamphetamine. Once he is released from prison, he will be on supervised release again for a ten year term.

“Drug dealers who profit by poisoning North Florida communities will be brought to justice,” said Special Agent in Charge Daniel Escobar, DEA Tampa Field Division. “Methamphetamine is highly trafficked in this region and our agents and law enforcement partners will not stop until these bad actors are held accountable for their actions.”  

The conviction and sentence were the result of a joint investigation by the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Taylor County Sheriff’s Office. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Meredith L. Steer.

This case is part of Operation Take Back America a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.

The United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Florida is one of 94 offices that serve as the nation’s principal litigators under the direction of the Attorney General. To access public court documents online, please visit the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Florida website. For more information about the United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Florida, visit https://www.justice.gov/usao-ndfl.

Tallahassee, Florida – Anthony Wayne Lanier, 33, of Crawfordville, Florida was sentenced to 10 years in federal prison after previously pleading guilty to Attempted Enticement of a Minor and Attempted Transmission of Obscene Material to a Minor. The sentence was announced by John P. Heekin, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida.

U.S. Attorney Heekin said: “This case demonstrates the kinds of threats our kids face online from predators, like this defendant, who seek to sexually exploit and victimize them. Thankfully, our excellent state and federal law enforcement officers are committed to tracking down those offenders wherever they lurk, and my office is aggressively prosecuting these cases to keep them locked behind bars and away from our kids.”

Court documents reflect that on November 20, 2025, the defendant communicated online with an individual he believed to be a child, but was actually an undercover law enforcement officer. The defendant repeatedly asked the child to send inappropriate photos, asked to commit sexual acts on the child and her friend, and sent a picture of his genitalia. The defendant then drove to an agreed upon location where he believed he would be meeting the child, but he was instead arrested by law enforcement upon arriving. Once he is released from prison, Lanier will be on supervised release for a twenty-year term.

The conviction and sentence were the result of a joint investigation by the Florida Department of Law Enforcement and the Tallahassee Police Department. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Meredith L. Steer.

This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice and led by the U.S. Attorney’s Offices and the Criminal Divisions Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), it marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov. 

The United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Florida is one of 94 offices that serve as the nation’s principal litigators under the direction of the Attorney General. To access public court documents online, please visit the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Florida website. For more information about the United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Florida, visit https://www.justice.gov/usao-ndfl.

Tallahassee, Florida – Calvin Leon Jackson, 40, was convicted by a federal jury of conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine and possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine. John Heekin, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida, announced the verdict today. 

U.S. Attorney Heekin said: “Thanks to the excellent investigative work of our state and federal law enforcement partners, and this successful prosecution by my office, this criminal will be held accountable for peddling poisonous drugs in our community. The citizens of the Northern District of Florida deserve to live in safe, drug-free communities, and with more aggressive prosecutions of criminals like this defendant that is exactly what my office will deliver.”

Trial testimony and court records revealed that, on June 28, 2026, law enforcement stopped a vehicle in which Jackson and his co-conspirator were passengers. During the stop, a drug canine alerted to the vehicle. During a subsequent search, officers discovered a large vacuum sealed package containing a white crystalline substance under the front seat where Jackson’s co-conspirator had been sitting. Subsequent forensic testing confirmed the white crystalline substance was 448 grams of methamphetamine with an approximate purity of 97%, amounting to 434.5 grams of pure meth.

Jackson faces a minimum mandatory sentence of ten years’ imprisonment and up to a maximum of life imprisonment. He also faces a minimum of five years of supervised release up to a maximum of life on supervised release. 

The case involved a joint investigation by the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Panama City Beach Police Department, and the Florida Highway Patrol. Assistant United States Attorney Eric W. Welch is prosecuting the case.

Sentencing is scheduled for November 13, 2026, at 1:00 p.m. at the United States Courthouse in Tallahassee before United States District Judge Mark Walker.

The United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Florida is one of 94 offices that serve as the nation’s principal litigators under the direction of the Attorney General. To access available public court documents online, please visit the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Florida website. For more information about the United States Attorney’s Office, Northern District of Florida, visit https://www.justice.gov/usao-ndfl.

Tallahassee, Florida – Christopher Adams Jr., 34, of Tallahassee, Florida, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Mark E. Walker to seven years in federal prison for possession with intent to distribute synthetic cathinone, possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug-trafficking offense, and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. The sentence was announced by John P. Heekin, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida. 

U.S. Attorney Heekin said: “Thanks to this successful prosecution by my office, this serial felon will be kept off our streets for several years. Anyone who thinks they can peddle poisonous drugs in the Northern District of Florida should be on notice that our state and federal law enforcement partners are coming for them, and my office will send them to federal prison.”

Court documents reflect that the Tallahassee Police Department encountered the defendant as the driver of a vehicle with a stolen tag and illegal window tint. The officer could smell the odor of synthetic cathinone (“molly”) coming from inside the vehicle and conducted a search. The officer found a pistol in the driver’s side door pocket. Directly next to the handgun was a zippered pouch approximately the size of a make-up bag, which was found to contain an ounce and a half of synthetic cathinone split up into one large bag and multiple smaller baggies, along with small unused baggies typically used by street-level drug dealers. The defendant acknowledged ownership of the “molly” in the car and knowing the firearm was present.

The defendant was prohibited from possessing firearms because of multiple prior felony convictions for armed burglary, drug trafficking, and firearm offenses. He has been to prison on four separate occasions, with his longest prior sentence being 5 years.

The case involved an investigation by the Tallahassee Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney James A. McCain.

Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) is the Department of Justice’s nationwide initiative that brings federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement, prosecutors, and other public safety partners together to coordinate efforts to combat violent crime and make communities safe. Coordinated by U.S. Attorneys’ offices in each of the 94 federal districts, PSN is tailored to particular communities to strategically address specific violent crime and public safety challenges. As a key component of Operation Take Back America, PSN serves a central role in the Department’s commitment to make our country safe. PSN emphasizes three core principles: rapid federal response to violent crime and criminal offenders; strong, strategic partnerships among law enforcement at all levels; and accountability and deterrence through the prosecution of the most serious, readily provable offenses and other strategies. These efforts complement and strengthen President Trump’s Homeland Security Task Forces, ensuring a comprehensive federal response to the most pressing public safety issues facing communities.

The United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Florida is one of 94 offices that serve as the nation’s principal litigators under the direction of the Attorney General.  To access public court documents online, please visit the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Florida website. For more information about the United States Attorney’s Office, Northern District of Florida, visit https://www.justice.gov/usao-ndfl.

Pensacola, Florida – Charles Carson-Dowdy, 31, of Mobile, Alabama, was sentenced in federal court to life imprisonment for cyberstalking, interstate domestic violence, murder through use of a firearm, and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon in relation to the death of Starmichael L. Tucker in Pensacola in early 2025. The sentence was announced by John P. Heekin, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida. 

U.S. Attorney Heekin said: “My heart goes out to the victim’s family members and friends, who were robbed of Ms. Tucker’s presence in their lives by the depraved actions of this violent thug. We cannot lessen the profound sadness caused by Ms. Tucker’s murder, but thanks to this aggressive prosecution by my office that secured a life sentence for Carson-Dowdy’s heinous crimes, we can guarantee that this criminal will spend the rest of his pathetic life locked behind bars where he belongs.”

Court documents reveal that Carson-Dowdy, who resided in Mobile, Alabama, and the victim, Ms. Tucker, who resided in Pensacola, Florida, began dating in or about October 2024. During the dating relationship, Carson-Dowdy used cellular telephones, the internet, and a ridesharing business to engage in a course of conduct with the intent to harass and intimidate the victim. At the end of December 2024, Ms. Tucker flew to California to visit family for the holidays. During her trip, Ms. Tucker and Carson-Dowdy had an escalating series of arguments via text message.    

On January 1, 2025, as Ms. Tucker traveled back to Florida from California, she and Carson- Dowdy had a conversation via text message during which the victim attempted to end the relationship with Carson-Dowdy.  In response, Carson-Dowdy hailed a ride via the Uber ridesharing service to travel from his residence in Mobile, Alabama, to the victim’s residence in Pensacola, Florida, to confront her about their relationship. Despite being a convicted felon prohibited from possessing a firearm or ammunition, Carson-Dowdy brought a Taurus handgun and an extra loaded magazine with him as he traveled from Alabama to Florida. 

Upon his arrival in Pensacola, Carson-Dowdy entered Ms. Tucker’s home without her permission. She returned home to discover Carson-Dowdy waiting for her in the apartment. At approximately 8:00 p.m. on January 2, 2025, Ms. Tucker left her apartment, but Carson-Dowdy followed her outside and shot her in the back with his Taurus handgun, causing her to collapse in the parking lot. Carson-Dowdy then walked over to where Ms. Tucker was lying wounded on the ground and shot her approximately ten more times at close range. Carson-Dowdy then entered the victim’s vehicle parked nearby, and deliberately drove the car over Ms. Tucker’s body. He then reversed the car to drive over her body again, and then drove forward running over the victim’s body a third time. Carson-Dowdy then fled from the apartment complex in the victim’s vehicle. Ms. Tucker died from the injuries inflicted by Carson-Dowdy.   

Carson-Dowdy was ultimately located by law enforcement in the victim’s vehicle in Spanish Fort, Alabama. He was taken into custody, and the Taurus handgun used to murder the victim was found inside the car. 

“This defendant’s actions took an innocent life and devastated a family,” said ATF Tampa Field Division’s Special Agent in Charge Kirk Howard. “Today’s sentence holds him accountable and hopefully, helps the victim’s family take one step toward closure.”

The case involved a joint investigation by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office, the State Attorney’s Office, and the Spanish Fort Police Department. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys David L. Goldberg and Jordane New.

The United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Florida is one of 94 offices that serve as the nation’s principal litigators under the direction of the Attorney General.  To access public court documents online, please visit the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Florida website. For more information about the United States Attorney’s Office, Northern District of Florida, visit https://www.justice.gov/usao-ndfl.

Pensacola, Florida – Jesse Allen Hudson, 43, of Pensacola, Florida, pleaded guilty in federal court to one count of possession of a firearm and ammunition by a convicted felon and one count of possession of unregistered firearm. The plea was announced by John P. Heekin, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida. 

U.S. Attorney Heekin said: “Thanks to the excellent investigative work by our state law enforcement partners, and this aggressive prosecution by my office, this violent felon has been taken off our streets and he’ll be kept locked in federal prison where he belongs.”

Court documents reflect that on January 21, 2026, Escambia County Sheriff’s Office deputies responded to a disturbance complaint at a residence in Pensacola, Florida. Upon arrival, deputies encountered the defendant and his wife. The deputies learned that firearms were missing from the residence and that the defendant had been previously convicted of multiple felonies, including Battery on a Law Enforcement Officer, Resisting an Officer with Violence, and Fleeing to Elude Police and Destroying or Tampering with Evidence.  Based on these felony convictions, the defendant was legally prohibited from possessing firearms or ammunition. With the wife’s consent, deputies searched the property for the missing firearms and discovered several loaded AR-style magazines and an unregistered multi-caliber short-barreled rifle among the defendant’s belongings. 

Hudson faces up to 15 years’ imprisonment on the possession of a firearm and ammunition by a convicted felon count, and up to 10 years’ imprisonment on the possession of unregistered firearm count.

Hudson’s sentencing is scheduled for November 19, 2026, at 2:00 p.m. before United States District Judge T. Kent Wetherell, II at the United States Courthouse in Pensacola, Florida.

The plea was the result of a joint investigation by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Thomas S.P. Geeker.

Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) is the Department of Justice’s nationwide initiative that brings federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement, prosecutors, and other public safety partners together to coordinate efforts to combat violent crime and make communities safe. Coordinated by U.S. Attorneys’ offices in each of the 94 federal districts, PSN is tailored to particular communities to strategically address specific violent crime and public safety challenges. As a key component of Operation Take Back America, PSN serves a central role in the Department’s commitment to make our country safe. PSN emphasizes three core principles: rapid federal response to violent crime and criminal offenders; strong, strategic partnerships among law enforcement at all levels; and accountability and deterrence through the prosecution of the most serious, readily provable offenses and other strategies. These efforts complement and strengthen President Trump’s Homeland Security Task Forces, ensuring a comprehensive federal response to the most pressing public safety issues facing communities.

The United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Florida is one of 94 offices that serve as the nation’s principal litigators under the direction of the Attorney General.  To access public court documents online, please visit the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Florida website. For more information about the United States Attorney’s Office, Northern District of Florida, visit https://www.justice.gov/usao-ndfl.

Gainesville, Florida – Terry Lajace Lee, 43, of Gainesville, Florida, pleaded guilty in federal court to possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. The plea was announced by John P. Heekin, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida. 

U.S. Attorney Heekin said: “We will not stop strictly enforcing the law, and we will not be deterred from keeping our streets safe from dangerous criminals, like this repeat felon. The citizens of the Northern District of Florida deserve to live on safe, crime-free streets, and that is exactly what my office will deliver with continued successful prosecutions like this.”

Court documents reflect that during a traffic stop on February 21, 2026, the defendant was found to be driving with a suspended license. A subsequent search of the defendant and his vehicle revealed marijuana and a handgun. The defendant is not permitted to have a handgun due to four prior felony convictions.

Lee faces a maximum sentence of fifteen years’ imprisonment.

Sentencing is scheduled for October 20, 2026, at the United States Courthouse in Gainesville before Chief United States District Judge Allen C. Winsor.

The case involved a joint investigation by the Gainesville Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Adam Hapner.

Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) is the Department of Justice’s nationwide initiative that brings federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement, prosecutors, and other public safety partners together to coordinate efforts to combat violent crime and make communities safe. Coordinated by U.S. Attorneys’ offices in each of the 94 federal districts, PSN is tailored to particular communities to strategically address specific violent crime and public safety challenges. As a key component of Operation Take Back America, PSN serves a central role in the Department’s commitment to make our country safe. PSN emphasizes three core principles: rapid federal response to violent crime and criminal offenders; strong, strategic partnerships among law enforcement at all levels; and accountability and deterrence through the prosecution of the most serious, readily provable offenses and other strategies. These efforts complement and strengthen President Trump’s Homeland Security Task Forces, ensuring a comprehensive federal response to the most pressing public safety issues facing communities.

The United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Florida is one of 94 offices that serve as the nation’s principal litigators under the direction of the Attorney General.  To access public court documents online, please visit the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Florida website. For more information about the United States Attorney’s Office, Northern District of Florida, visit https://www.justice.gov/usao-ndfl.

Tallahassee, Florida – Andy Dean Biggs, 63, of Marianna, Florida was sentenced to forty-five months in federal prison after previously pleading guilty to conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute 500 grams or more of cocaine and 50 grams or more of marijuana. The sentence was announced by John P. Heekin, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida.

U.S. Attorney Heekin said: “This successful prosecution strikes another blow against the peddlers of drugs who have plagued our streets with addiction and devastation.  Through aggressive prosecutions like this, we will continue to fulfill the promise made by President Donald J. Trump and Attorney General Todd Blanche to deliver the safe, drug-free streets our citizens deserve.”

According to court records, law enforcement identified Biggs’ co-conspirator, Michael Termaine Bell, as a significant source of narcotics in the Jackson County, Florida area, and Biggs was identified as assisting in that distribution. After several months of investigation, law enforcement obtained a federal search warrant for the residence of Bell and an adjoining family residence in Marianna, Florida . Biggs was present at the property at the time of the search. During the execution of the search warrants, investigators located over 1,000 grams of cocaine, five firearms, over 3,000 grams of marijuana, approximately $10,000 in cash and other evidence of drug distribution.

The case involved a joint investigation by the Jackson County Sheriff’s Office, the Drug Enforcement Administration, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.  The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Jessica S. Etherton and Eric W. Welch.

The United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Florida is one of 94 offices that serve as the nation’s principal litigators under the direction of the Attorney General. To access public court documents online, please visit theU.S. District Court for the Northern District of Florida website. For more information about the United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Florida, visit https://www.justice.gov/usao-ndfl.

Gainesville, Florida – Curtis Lee Smith-Carter, 28, of Gainesville, Florida, was sentenced to 27 months in federal prison for one count of possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. The sentence was announced by John P. Heekin, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida. 

U.S. Attorney Heekin said: “Our citizens deserve to live in communities without dangerous, armed criminals – like this serial felon – threatening their safety. My office will continue to aggressively prosecute these cases to ensure we deliver on that promise.”

Court documents reflect that on November 8, 2025, shortly after midnight, the defendant attempted to flee from police as they approached him behind a Gainesville convenience store. At that time, the defendant was in possession of a loaded .32 caliber pistol, which he threw over a fence. The defendant has been convicted of nine prior felony offenses, including possession of a weapon by a convicted felon.

Gainesville Police Chief Nelson Moya said: “Those who have been convicted of a felony and choose to possess a firearm put our community at risk and will be held accountable.”

The case involved an investigation by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives and the Gainesville Police Department. Assistant United States Attorney Adam Hapner prosecuted the case.

Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) is the Department of Justice’s nationwide initiative that brings federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement, prosecutors, and other public safety partners together to coordinate efforts to combat violent crime and make communities safe. Coordinated by U.S. Attorneys’ offices in each of the 94 federal districts, PSN is tailored to particular communities to strategically address specific violent crime and public safety challenges. As a key component of Operation Take Back America, PSN serves a central role in the Department’s commitment to make our country safe. PSN emphasizes three core principles: rapid federal response to violent crime and criminal offenders; strong, strategic partnerships among law enforcement at all levels; and accountability and deterrence through the prosecution of the most serious, readily provable offenses and other strategies. These efforts complement and strengthen President Trump’s Homeland Security Task Forces, ensuring a comprehensive federal response to the most pressing public safety issues facing communities.

The United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Florida is one of 94 offices that serve as the nation’s principal litigators under the direction of the Attorney General.  To access public court documents online, please visit the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Florida website. For more information about the United States Attorney’s Office, Northern District of Florida, visit https://www.justice.gov/usao-ndfl.

Gainesville, Florida – Kenneth Ellis Wetherington, 60, of Gainesville, Florida, was sentenced to 14 months in federal prison for one count of possession of a firearm and ammunition by a convicted felon. The sentence was announced by John P. Heekin, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida. 

U.S. Attorney Heekin said: “Keeping firearms out of the hands of dangerous criminals, like this serial felon, is necessary to ensure the safety of our communities, and my office will continue to aggressively prosecute cases like these to ensure our citizens can enjoy the safe streets they deserve.” 

Court documents reflect that on the evening of November 21, 2025, law enforcement was dispatched to an apartment complex in reference to multiple reports of shots fired. Upon further investigation, law enforcement learned that the defendant had discharged several “warning shots” from a firearm during a confrontation with other individuals on the property. Law enforcement detained the defendant and obtained a search warrant for his apartment, where they located a handgun, a shotgun, and multiple types of ammunition. The defendant is not permitted to have any firearms or ammunition because he has eleven felony convictions, including a prior conviction for possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. 

“This sentence is a reminder that there are consequences for violating the law,” said Gainesville Police Chief Nelson Moya. “We will continue to work with our federal partners to hold those who illegally possess firearms accountable and help keep our community safe.”

The case involved an investigation by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives and the Gainesville Police Department. Assistant United States Attorney Adam Hapner prosecuted the case.

Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) is the Department of Justice’s nationwide initiative that brings federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement, prosecutors, and other public safety partners together to coordinate efforts to combat violent crime and make communities safe. Coordinated by U.S. Attorneys’ offices in each of the 94 federal districts, PSN is tailored to particular communities to strategically address specific violent crime and public safety challenges. As a key component of Operation Take Back America, PSN serves a central role in the Department’s commitment to make our country safe. PSN emphasizes three core principles: rapid federal response to violent crime and criminal offenders; strong, strategic partnerships among law enforcement at all levels; and accountability and deterrence through the prosecution of the most serious, readily provable offenses and other strategies. These efforts complement and strengthen President Trump’s Homeland Security Task Forces, ensuring a comprehensive federal response to the most pressing public safety issues facing communities.

The United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Florida is one of 94 offices that serve as the nation’s principal litigators under the direction of the Attorney General.  To access public court documents online, please visit the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Florida website. For more information about the United States Attorney’s Office, Northern District of Florida, visit https://www.justice.gov/usao-ndfl.

Pensacola, Florida – Marquis Dy’Monte Bethea 32, of Pensacola, pleaded guilty to distribution and possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking offense. John P. Heekin, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida, announced the plea today.

U.S. Attorney Heekin said: “This case demonstrates the excellent investigative work by the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office, with support from our federal law enforcement partners, to identify and remove an armed drug trafficker from our streets. The Homeland Security Task Force is continuing to deliver wins for public safety in the Northern District of Florida, and my office remains committed to aggressively prosecuting these armed drug traffickers until our citizens get the safe, drug-free streets they deserve.”

Court documents reflect that in September 2025, the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office conducted a traffic stop for an infraction. The defendant was the driver and sole occupant of the vehicle. After a drug detection K9 positively alerted to the presence of narcotics, law enforcement searched the vehicle. During the search, deputies located a loaded pistol, $10,350 cash, and over 200 grams of methamphetamine. 

Bethea faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years’ imprisonment, and up to life imprisonment, on the drug distribution count, and a mandatory minimum sentence of five years’ imprisonment, and up to life imprisonment, for the firearm count, consecutive to the sentence imposed on Count 1.

Sentencing is scheduled before United States District Judge T. Kent Wetherell, II in Pensacola, Florida on September 24, 2026.

The plea was the result of a joint investigation by the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and the United States Postal Inspection Service. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Jeffrey M. Tharp.

This prosecution is part of the Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) initiative established by Executive Order 14159, Protecting the American People Against Invasion. The HSTF is a whole-of-government partnership dedicated to eliminating criminal cartels, foreign gangs, transnational criminal organizations, and human smuggling and trafficking rings operating in the United States and abroad. Through historic interagency collaboration, the HSTF directs the full might of United States law enforcement towards identifying, investigating, and prosecuting the full spectrum of crimes committed by these organizations, which have long fueled violence and instability within our borders. In performing this work, the HSTF places special emphasis on investigating and prosecuting those engaged in child trafficking or other crimes involving children. The HSTF further utilizes all available tools to prosecute and remove the most violent criminal aliens from the United States. HSTF comprises agents and officers from multiple agencies with the prosecution being led by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Florida.

The United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Florida is one of 94 offices that serve as the nation’s principal litigators under the direction of the Attorney General.  To access public court documents online, please visit the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Florida website. For more information about the United States Attorney’s Office, Northern District of Florida, visit https://www.justice.gov/usao-ndfl.

Gainesville, Florida – DaMorie Lamontay Miles, 20, of Gainesville, Florida, was sentenced to 46 months in federal prison for one count of possession with intent to distribute marijuana and one count of receipt, possession, transfer, or production of a firearm which is not registered in the National Firearms Registration and Transfer Record. The sentence was announced by John P. Heekin, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida. 

U.S. Attorney Heekin said: “This successful prosecution and sentence notches another win for the Department of Justice, and continues to fulfill the promise made by President Donald J. Trump and Attorney General Todd Blanche that we will devote the full might of the federal government toward delivering safe, drug-free streets for our citizens.”

Court records reflect that the defendant was communicating via text message and social media with others to buy and sell marijuana and to obtain a machine gun conversion device (MCD). The defendant was arrested after a search of his residence discovered over 600 grams of marijuana and the MCD. 

“Our goal is to make Gainesville a safer place, and that means keeping dangerous drugs and illegal firearms out of the hands of those who would use them to harm others,” said Gainesville Police Chief Nelson Moya.

Miles’ sentence will run consecutive to another state sentence involving the possession of a controlled substance without a prescription and the possession of a weapon or ammunition by a Florida delinquent.

The case involved an investigation by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives and the Gainesville Police Department. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Christie S. Utt.

The United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Florida is one of 94 offices that serve as the nation’s principal litigators under the direction of the Attorney General.  To access public court documents online, please visit the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Florida website. For more information about the United States Attorney’s Office, Northern District of Florida, visit https://www.justice.gov/usao-ndfl.

Tallahassee, Florida – Yasir Jaimon Za’Quis Hawkins, 20, has been indicted by a federal grand jury for illegal possession of a machine gun, possession of Postal Service key, and possession of stolen mail. John P. Heekin, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida, announced the charges. 

Hawkins appeared in federal court for his arraignment before United States Magistrate Judge Martin A. Fitzpatrick in Tallahassee, Florida. Jury trial is scheduled for September 29, 2026, before Chief District Court Judge Allen C. Winsor. 

Hawkins faces up to 10 years’ imprisonment on the possession of a machine gun count; up to 10 years’ imprisonment on the possession of Postal Service key count; and up to five years’ imprisonment on the possession of stolen mail count.

This case was jointly investigated by the United States Postal Inspection Service, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and the Leon County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant United States Attorney Emma Schwan is prosecuting the case. 

An indictment is merely an allegation by a grand jury that a defendant has committed a violation of federal criminal law and is not evidence of guilt. All defendants are presumed innocent and entitled to a fair trial, during which it will be the government’s burden to prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt at trial. 

Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) is the Department of Justice’s nationwide initiative that brings federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement, prosecutors, and other public safety partners together to coordinate efforts to combat violent crime and make communities safe. Coordinated by U.S. Attorneys’ offices in each of the 94 federal districts, PSN is tailored to particular communities to strategically address specific violent crime and public safety challenges. As a key component of Operation Take Back America, PSN serves a central role in the Department’s commitment to make our country safe. PSN emphasizes three core principles: rapid federal response to violent crime and criminal offenders; strong, strategic partnerships among law enforcement at all levels; and accountability and deterrence through the prosecution of the most serious, readily provable offenses and other strategies. These efforts complement and strengthen President Trump’s Homeland Security Task Forces, ensuring a comprehensive federal response to the most pressing public safety issues facing communities.

The United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Florida is one of 94 offices that serve as the nation’s principal litigators under the direction of the Attorney General. To access available public court documents online, please visit the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Florida website. For more information about the United States Attorney’s Office, Northern District of Florida, visit https://www.justice.gov/usao-ndfl.

Pensacola, Florida – EP Hall, 42, of Pensacola, pleaded guilty to possession of a firearm and ammunition by a convicted felon and possession of a controlled substance. John P. Heekin, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida announced the plea.

U.S. Attorney Heekin said: “My office remains committed to aggressively prosecuting these cases until criminals realize we have zero-tolerance for lawlessness in the Northern District of Florida. The citizens of our District deserve to live on safe, drug-free streets, and that is exactly what I intend to deliver with more successful prosecutions like this one.”

Court documents showed that, in March 2026, the defendant was encountered by law enforcement while walking in a public roadway in Pensacola with a loaded revolver in his waistband and wearing a fanny pack containing crack cocaine, marijuana, and methamphetamine. As a previously convicted felon, the defendant was prohibited from possessing a firearm or ammunition. 

Sentencing is scheduled for November 10, 2026, in Pensacola, Florida before United States District Court Judge T. Kent Wetherell, II. Hall faces up to 15 years’ imprisonment for possession of a firearm and ammunition by a convicted felon and up to three years’ imprisonment for possession of a controlled substance due to a prior drug-related conviction.

The case was jointly investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives and the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Alicia H. Forbes. 

The United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Florida is one of 94 offices that serve as the nation’s principal litigators under the direction of the Attorney General.  To access public court documents online, please visit the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Florida website. For more information about the United States Attorney’s Office, Northern District of Florida, visit https://www.justice.gov/usao-ndfl.

Tallahassee, Florida – Tyler D. Ogden, 27, of Tallahassee, Florida, was sentenced to six years in federal prison for distribution of 50 grams or more of methamphetamine. The sentence was announced by John P. Heekin, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida. 

U.S. Attorney Heekin said: “Our excellent state and federal law enforcement partners continue to work hard every day to stop the flow of drugs into our communities. Meth, in particular, has had a devastating impact on our District for several years, and this successful prosecution is yet another step toward delivering the safe, drug-free streets that the citizens of the Northern District of Florida deserve.”

Court documents reflect that in April 2025, during a Tallahassee-area undercover law enforcement operation, the defendant purchased methamphetamine. Later, the defendant separated four ounces from a larger quantity of methamphetamine and distributed the controlled substance.

“Methamphetamine is trafficked regularly in the Florida Pan Handle and our agents and law enforcement partners are very active in this region,” said Special Agent in Charge Daniel Escobar, DEA Tampa Field Division. “Like Mr. Ogden, we have brought many criminals who sell this poison in our communities to justice.”  

The case involved a joint investigation by the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, and the Leon County Sheriff’s Office. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney James A. McCain.

This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.

The United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Florida is one of 94 offices that serve as the nation’s principal litigators under the direction of the Attorney General.  To access public court documents online, please visit the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Florida website. For more information about the United States Attorney’s Office, Northern District of Florida, visit https://www.justice.gov/usao-ndfl.

Tallahassee, Florida – James Dalton Bryant, 54, of Tallahassee, Florida, has been indicted in federal court for bank robbery. John P. Heekin, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida, announced the charge.

Bryant appeared in federal court for his arraignment before United States Magistrate Judge Martin A. Fitzpatrick in Tallahassee, Florida. Jury trial is scheduled for October 5, 2026, before District Court Judge Robert L. Hinkle.

Bryant faces up to 20 years’ imprisonment if convicted.

The case was jointly investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Tallahassee Police Department. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Eric K. Mountin. 

An indictment is merely an allegation by a grand jury that a defendant has committed a violation of federal criminal law and is not evidence of guilt. All defendants are presumed innocent and entitled to a fair trial, during which it will be the government’s burden to prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt at trial. 

This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.

The United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Florida is one of 94 offices that serve as the nation’s principal litigators under the direction of the Attorney General.  To access public court documents online, please visit the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Florida website. For more information about the United States Attorney’s Office, Northern District of Florida, visit https://www.justice.gov/usao-ndfl.

Gainesville, Florida – Antrell Jermaine Hillard, 33, of Live Oak, Florida, was sentenced to 12 years’ imprisonment for conspiracy to steal postal keys, theft of postal keys, and postal robbery/assault. The sentence was announced by John P. Heekin, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida. 

U.S. Attorney Heekin said: “This serial, violent felon has shown that the only way we can keep our communities safe from his criminality is by keeping him behind bars in federal prison, so that is exactly what we will do. I appreciate the excellent investigative work of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, FBI, and Alachua County Sheriff’s Office that supported this successful prosecution. The Department of Justice launched Operation Take Back America to devote our full might toward removing the perpetrators of violent crime from our streets, and my office will continue to deliver aggressive prosecutions like this to accomplish that task.”

Court documents reflect that between March 21, 2025, and March 29, 2025, the defendant conspired with others to steal Postal Service keys in Gainesville and Ocala. The defendant planned and participated in three separate incidents involving the theft of keys directly from United States Postal Service carriers while they were delivering mail. In one of the incidents, the defendant snatched a key that was still physically connected to the carrier’s belt, causing it to break from the carrier’s belt. The court also found that shortly before the postal robberies, the defendant held a man at gunpoint during an armed robbery of a Gainesville convenience store.

“This sentence should serve as a warning to anyone who is considering committing a violent crime against a U.S. Postal Service employee.” said Bladismir Rojo, Inspector in Charge, U.S. Postal Inspection Service, Miami Division. The Inspection Service will continue to work with our local, state, and federal law enforcement partners to ensure that those who chose to engage in these types of crimes will be held accountable.”

“This sentence holds Hillard accountable for his actions and serves as a reminder to those who choose to commit serious crimes,” said FBI Jacksonville Special Agent in Charge Jason Carley. “The FBI and our law enforcement partners will continue working together to investigate and pursue dangerous offenders who threaten our communities.”

Upon his release, Hillard will be subject to three years of supervised release. 

The case involved a joint investigation by United States Postal Inspection Service, the Alachua County Sheriff’s Office, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Adam Hapner and James McCain.

This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.

The United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Florida is one of 94 offices that serve as the nation’s principal litigators under the direction of the Attorney General.  To access public court documents online, please visit the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Florida website. For more information about the United States Attorney’s Office, Northern District of Florida, visit https://www.justice.gov/usao-ndfl.

Pensacola, Florida – Anthony Bernard Allen, 54, of Fort Walton Beach, Florida, has been indicted in federal court on one count of possession with intent to distribute a controlled substance involving more than 500 grams of cocaine and more than 28 grams of cocaine base; one count of possession of a firearm by a convicted felon; and one count of possession with intent to distribute a controlled substance involving less than 500 grams of cocaine. John P. Heekin, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida, announced the charges.

Allen appeared before Chief United States Magistrate Judge Michael J. Frank for his initial appearance at the United States Courthouse in Pensacola, Florida. Trial is scheduled for September 21, 2026, in Pensacola before District Court Judge T. Kent Wetherell, II.

If convicted, Allen faces a minimum mandatory sentence of 5 years’ imprisonment and up to life imprisonment on the possession with intent to distribute count; and up to 15 years’ imprisonment on the possession of a firearm by a convicted felon count.            

This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Okaloosa County Sherriff’s Office, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives with assistance from the Gulf Coast High Intensity Drug Trafficking Areas (HIDTA) Task Force. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Brooke D. Lindsay.

An indictment is merely an allegation by a grand jury that a defendant has committed a violation of federal criminal law and is not evidence of guilt. All defendants are presumed innocent and entitled to a fair trial, during which it will be the government’s burden to prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt at trial.

This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.

The United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Florida is one of 94 offices that serve as the nation’s principal litigators under the direction of the Attorney General.  To access public court documents online, please visit the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Florida website. For more information about the United States Attorney’s Office, Northern District of Florida, visit https://www.justice.gov/usao-ndfl.

Tallahassee, Florida – Edward G. Winn, 47, an inmate at Okaloosa Correctional Institution who is formerly of Sarasota, Florida, was sentenced to 20 years in federal prison for distribution and receipt of child pornography. The sentence was announced by John P. Heekin, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida. 

U.S. Attorney Heekin said: “Keeping our kids safe from predators, like this disgusting defendant, who seek to sexually exploit and victimize them remains one of my office’s top priorities. As this substantial prison sentence demonstrates, we will not hesitate to deploy the full might of the Department of Justice toward holding such sexual predators accountable to the fullest extent of the law.”

Court documents reflect that since September 2, 2015, the defendant had been incarcerated in the Florida Department of Corrections after being convicted of multiple counts of possession of child pornography. While the defendant was an inmate at Madison Correctional Institution, investigators discovered he used a prison-issued tablet to receive child pornography from the Internet which he also distributed to other inmates between May 6, 2024, and July 9, 2024. A search of the defendant’s tablet revealed that it contained almost 400 child pornography images.

“Edward Winn was already serving time for his crimes, but that didn’t stop him from exploiting children,” said FBI Jacksonville Special Agent in Charge Jason Carley. “Even from behind bars, he continued to seek out child sexual abuse material. There is no place to hide from accountability. The FBI will continue to protect children and pursue those who exploit them.”

Winn’s federal sentence will begin after completing his remaining state sentence, which is expected to end in 2051. Upon release, he will be on supervised release for the rest of his life. 

The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Florida Department of Corrections-Office of Inspector General. 

This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys' Offices and CEOS, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit Justice.gov/PSC.

The United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Florida is one of 94 offices that serve as the nation’s principal litigators under the direction of the Attorney General. To access public court documents online, please visit the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Florida website. For more information about the United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Florida, visit https://www.justice.gov/usao-ndfl.

WASHINGTON ―The Bureau of Justice Assistance, a component under the Department of Justice’s Office of Justice Programs, awarded almost $290 million to support state, local, and tribal governments in criminal justice activities to keep American communities safe.  United States Attorney John P. Heekin of the Northern District of Florida highlighted nearly $12.5 million in grant monies were awarded to law enforcement components operating within the Northern District of Florida. 

The awards, provided through the Edward Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance Grant (JAG) Program, represent the nation’s leading source of federal justice funding to state and local jurisdictions, the District of Columbia, and all U.S. territories. For more than 20 years, the JAG program has provided critical funding to support law enforcement’s ability to protect the communities they serve, supporting critical needs such as personnel, equipment and supplies, technology, training, information systems for criminal justice or civil proceedings, and other operational priorities. JAG funding also supports a wide range of programs that strengthen crime prevention efforts and enhance the effectiveness of prosecutors, courts, corrections agencies, and services for crime victims and witnesses.

“This funding strengthens our state, local, and tribal partners’ ability to address violent crime, support officers on the front lines, and keep our Nation’s communities safe,” said Associate Attorney General Stanley E. Woodward Jr. “The JAG Program continues to provide essential resources that help jurisdictions meet today’s public safety threats and uphold the rule of law.”

U.S. Attorney Heekin said, “Our state and local law enforcement partners are vital to my office’s mission to eradicate crime within the Northern District of Florida. Through these grant awards, the Department of Justice is making critical investments in the brave men and women of Florida’s law enforcement agencies who stand on the front lines in the fight against crime to keep our communities safe.”

JAG Program awards will be used in support of the following law enforcement agencies within the Northern District of Florida:

• Florida Department of Law Enforcement, based in Tallahassee, Florida;
• Alachua County Sheriff’s Office;
• Bay County Sheriff’s Office;
• Escambia County Sheriff’s Office;
• Leon County Sheriff’s Office;
• Okaloosa County Sheriff’s Office;
• Santa Rosa County Sheriff’s Office;
• Gainesville Police Department;
• Panama City Police Department;
• Panama City Beach Police Department;
• Pensacola Police Department;
• Tallahassee Police Department

In addition to foundational uses of JAG funds, specific areas of emphasis were included to the JAG funding opportunities highlighting and encouraging state and local jurisdictions to join federal law enforcement in addressing the most pressing public safety challenges. For Fiscal Year 2025, these areas of emphasis included combatting violent crime, immigration enforcement, safe communities, and safe houses of worship. 

BJA awarded more than $199 million in state JAG funding across 56 awards and more than $90 million in local JAG funding across 895 awards. 

Examples of initiatives supported by these grants include:

• Providing specialized training to strengthen the prevention, detection, and response to human trafficking and to enhance proactive crime‑reduction efforts through improved officer readiness and increased patrol capacity.
• Enhancing local crime‑fighting efforts by integrating innovative technology, training, and equipment, and using comprehensive crime‑data analysis to guide decision‑making, measure performance, and strengthen strategies addressing violent crime and other public safety issues. 
• Strengthening enforcement efforts by supporting investigations related to gang activity and narcotics through targeted operations carried out by specialized units. 
• Improving officer safety and readiness by replacing outdated ballistic helmets with modern protective equipment used during high‑risk incidents, tactical operations, active threat responses, warrant service, civil disturbances, and other dangerous calls for service.

All recipients for both state and local JAG awards can be found here.

About the Office of Justice Programs

The Office of Justice Programs provides federal leadership, grants, training, technical assistance, and other resources to improve the nation's capacity to prevent and reduce crime; promote fair and impartial administration of justice; assist victims; and uphold the rule of law. More information about OJP and its program offices – the Bureau of Justice Assistance, Bureau of Justice Statistics, National Institute of Justice, Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention, Office for Victims of Crime, and Office of Sex Offender Sentencing, Monitoring, Apprehending, Registering and Tracking or SMART Office – can be found at ojp.gov.

Tallahassee, Florida – Dalvert Encarnacion Francisco, 37, of Dubuque, Iowa, was sentenced to serve 70 months in federal prison for distributing child pornography. John P. Heekin, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida, announced the sentence.

U.S. Attorney Heekin said: “I truly appreciate the excellent investigative work by our state and federal law enforcement partners that helped to identify and bring this heinous predator to justice. Anyone who views, possesses, or distributes child sexual abuse material will face an aggressive prosecution by my office to ensure they are held fully accountable for their horrific crimes and spend years in federal prison.”

The defendant’s sentencing followed a guilty verdict returned after a three-day jury trial in May 2026. Court records and evidence showed that the Bay County Sheriff’s Office investigated multiple child sexual abuse material tips from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children.  During that investigation, law enforcement discovered the defendant distributed child pornography to an individual named Marcus Creel who resided in the Panama City area. Creel was later prosecuted by the Office of the State Attorney of the Fourteenth Judicial Circuit. With the assistance of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, further investigation revealed the defendant requested online payments for the child sexual abuse material he distributed. 

“There is no place in our society for those who exploit children for profit or gratification,” said Bay County Sheriff Tommy Ford. “This sentence sends a clear message: if you prey on children or contribute to their exploitation, we will work relentlessly with our law enforcement partners to identify you, arrest you, and ensure you are held accountable. Protecting our children will always be one of the Bay County Sheriff's Office's highest priorities.”

Upon his release from prison, Francisco will be required to serve five years of supervised release and register as a sex offender.

“This sentence holds a predator accountable for distributing inappropriate child sexual abuse material and contributing to the exploitation of innocent children,” said FBI Jacksonville Special Agent in Charge Jason Carley. “This case demonstrates the strength of our partnerships with our law enforcement partners. Their dedication and investigative efforts helped ensure this offender was identified and brought to justice. We will continue to pursue those who exploit children and work tirelessly to protect the most vulnerable members of our communities.”

This case was investigated by the Bay County Sheriff’s Office and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Meredith L. Steer.

This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys' Offices and CEOS, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit Justice.gov/PSC.

The United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Florida is one of 94 offices that serve as the nation’s principal litigators under the direction of the Attorney General.  To access public court documents online, please visit the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Florida website. For more information about the United States Attorney’s Office, Northern District of Florida, visit https://www.justice.gov/usao-ndfl.