Northern District of Florida

Pensacola, Florida – Jamil M. Hampton, 55, of Fort Walton Beach, Florida, has been indicted in federal court on one count of conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute more than 500 grams of cocaine; one count of possession with intent to distribute more than 500 grams of cocaine and more than 28 grams of cocaine base; one count of possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking offense; and one count of possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. John P. Heekin, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida, announced the charges. 

Hampton appeared before United States Magistrate Judge Zachary C. Bolitho for his initial appearance at the United States Courthouse in Pensacola, Florida. Trial is scheduled for October 19, 2026, in Pensacola before District Court Judge T. Kent Wetherell, II.

If convicted, Hampton faces a minimum mandatory sentence of 10 years’ imprisonment and up to life imprisonment on the drug conspiracy and possession with intent to distribute counts due to a prior conviction for a serious drug felony; a minimum mandatory 5 years’ imprisonment and up to life imprisonment, consecutive to any other sentence, on the possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking count; and up to 15 years’ imprisonment on the felon in possession count.            

This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Okaloosa County Sheriff’s Office. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Thomas S.P. Geeker.

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.

Pensacola, Florida – Bobby Womack, 45, of DeFuniak Springs, Florida, pleaded guilty in federal court to possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine and cocaine, 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: “This armed drug trafficker thought he could enrich himself by peddling deadly drugs, but thanks to the excellent investigative work of our state and federal law enforcement partners and this successful prosecution by my office, he has learned we have zero-tolerance for criminality in my district. Our citizens deserve to live in safe, drug-free communities, and my office will continue to aggressively prosecute drug traffickers, like this defendant, to deliver on that promise.”

Court documents reflect that law enforcement received a tip that the defendant was distributing narcotics out of a hotel in DeFuniak Springs, Florida. Law enforcement surveilled the defendant at the hotel for several days and confirmed that the defendant was trafficking controlled substances. The defendant was arrested while attempting to leave the hotel, and was found to be in possession of methamphetamine and crack cocaine. Law enforcement obtained a search warrant for the defendant’s hotel room and located several bags containing methamphetamine and cocaine, as well as a stolen handgun with a loaded magazine, in addition to other drug paraphernalia. 

The defendant faces a minimum of 10 years’ imprisonment up to life imprisonment on the possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine count; up to 15 years’ imprisonment on the possession of a firearm or ammunition by a convicted felon count; and a minimum mandatory 5 years’ imprisonment up to life imprisonment consecutive to any sentence for the other offenses on the possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking offense.            

This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Walton County Sheriff’s Office. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Thomas S.P. Geeker and Christopher C. Patterson. 

Sentencing is scheduled for December 29, 2026, at 1:00 pm, in the United States Courthouse in Pensacola before United States District Judge M. Casey Rodgers.

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 – Jeremy Jovan Randolph, 37, of Tallahassee, Florida, was sentenced to four and a half years in federal prison for 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 state and federal law enforcement partners work hard every day to keep dangerous criminals, like this defendant, off our streets to ensure our citizens can live in the safe, crime-free communities they deserve. By aggressively prosecuting cases like this, and ensuring dangerous criminals like this defendant are kept behind bars, we will succeed in improving public safety for the law-abiding citizens of the Northern District of Florida.”

Court documents reflect that on February 5, 2026, Tallahassee Police Department detectives assigned to the Traffic Unit noticed a vehicle parked illegally in a handicapped spot in a gas station parking lot. The detectives observed the defendant exit the store and enter the vehicle. The detectives then approached and could smell the odor of marijuana coming from the vehicle and confirmed the defendant did not have a medical marijuana card. The defendant was asked to exit the vehicle. As the defendant did so, the detectives saw an AR-style pistol on the driver’s side floor of the vehicle where he had been sitting. The pistol was equipped with a 60-round magazine. The defendant is a previously convicted felon and was legally prohibited from possessing firearms or ammunition. 

The case involved a joint investigation by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Tallahassee Police Department. Assistant United States Attorney Eric W. Welch is prosecuting 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 –Vontavius Jamaal Bradley, 23, of Pensacola, Florida, was sentenced to 42 months in federal prison after having previously pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit bank fraud, use of a false passport, and aggravated identity theft. John P. Heekin, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida, announced the charges and sentence today. 

U.S. Attorney Heekin said: “These defendants victimized several innocent individuals in order to fraudulently enrich themselves, but thanks to the excellent investigative work of our federal law enforcement partners we have dismantled their scheme and now hold them accountable for their crimes. With support from the National Fraud Enforcement Division, my office is aggressively prosecuting fraudsters and ensuring they see the inside of a prison cell for ripping off the American people.”

According to court documents, Bradley conspired with his co-defendants, Elizabeth Ann Rogers and Donny Bernard Ross, and others to open accounts at various banks and credit unions in the Pensacola area using stolen identities. Once opened, the defendants used the accounts to cash stolen, altered, or counterfeit checks. Bradley obtained and provided to his accomplices fraudulent identification documents, including false U.S. passport cards. He also provided the fraudulent checks to conduct fraudulent transactions, and the co-defendants all split the proceeds. As part of the conspiracy and scheme, Bradley and his co-defendants fraudulently obtained and used personal identifying information of real people without their knowledge or authorization.

In addition to having to serve 42 months in prison, Bradley was ordered to pay $18,264 in restitution to financial institution and identity theft victims. Rogers and Ross have also pleaded guilty to the same charges and are awaiting sentencing before United States District Judge M. Casey Rodgers.

“Safeguarding U.S. passports and visas is central to the Diplomatic Security Service mission and critical to protecting our national security,” said Special Agent in Charge Ryan McSeveney of the U.S. Department of State’s Diplomatic Security Service Miami Field Office. “U.S. passports and visas are among the most sought-after travel documents in the world, and DSS is firmly committed to protecting their integrity. We thank our law enforcement partners for their outstanding collaboration in this case and will continue to pursue those who use identity theft and document fraud to facilitate criminal activity and defraud the American people.”

The case resulted from a joint investigation conducted by the U.S. Department of State’s Diplomatic Security Service, Homeland Security Investigations, the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office, and U.S. Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration. Assistant United States Attorney Alicia H. Forbes prosecuted t case.

On April 7, the Department of Justice announced the creation of the National Fraud Enforcement Division (“Fraud Division”). The Fraud Division is 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 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 – Lavon Trinere Mars, 39, of Pensacola, Florida, has been indicted in federal court on one count of conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute more than 50 grams of a methamphetamine and one count of possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. John P. Heekin, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida, announced the charges.

Mars appeared before United States Magistrate Judge Zachary C. Bolitho for his initial appearance at the United States Courthouse in Pensacola, Florida. Trial is scheduled for November 16, 2026, in Pensacola before District Court Judge T. Kent Wetherell, II.

If convicted, Mars faces a minimum mandatory sentence of 10 years’ imprisonment and up to life imprisonment on the drug conspiracy 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 and the Florida Highway Patrol. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Thomas S.P. Geeker.

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.

Pensacola, Florida – Ray Anthony Pearson II, 32, of Navarre, Florida, pleaded guilty in federal court to one count of wire fraud involving Small Business Administration (SBA) Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loan funds. This prosecution was part of the Task Force to Eliminate Fraud launched by President Donald J. Trump, a whole-of-government effort to eliminate fraud, waste, and abuse within Federal benefit programs. The plea was announced by John P. Heekin, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida. 

U.S. Attorney Heekin said: “Fraudsters seized on the generous federal programs intended to help businesses hurt by the COVID-19 pandemic, and tried to enrich themselves by ripping off the American taxpayer. My office is aggressively pursuing those criminals to hold them accountable, and this successful prosecution is another win in the National Fraud Enforcement Division’s war on fraud, waste, and abuse within our federal programs.”

Court documents reflect that in 2021, the defendant, while working full-time in a civilian job and part-time as an Air Force Reservist, caused to be submitted a fraudulent online application for a Paycheck Protection Program loan that falsely claimed he was self-employed with a business that lost income due to the COVID-19 pandemic. As a result of his fraud, the defendant received $20,142 in PPP loan funds to which he was not entitled. He submitted a second PPP loan application that was denied.

On April 7, 2026, the Department of Justice announced the creation of the National Fraud Enforcement Division (“Fraud Division”). The Fraud Division is 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.

Pearson faces up to 20 years’ imprisonment. As part of his plea agreement, Pearson has agreed to forfeit any forfeitable assets and to pay restitution.

Sentencing is scheduled for December 17, 2026, at 2 p.m. at the United States Courthouse in Pensacola, Florida before United States District Judge T. Kent Wetherell, II. 

The case was investigated by the Air Force Office of Special Investigations. Assistant United States Attorneys Jessica Etherton and Walter Narramore are prosecuting the case.

The Fraud Section leads the Criminal Division's prosecution of fraud schemes that exploit the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP). Since the inception of the CARES Act, the Fraud Section has prosecuted over 150 defendants in more than 95 criminal cases and has seized over $75 million in cash proceeds derived from fraudulently obtained PPP funds, as well as numerous real estate properties and luxury items purchased with such proceeds. More information can be found at Justice.gov/OPA/pr/justice-department-takes-action-against-covid-19-fraud.

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 – David Benjamina Davis, 43, of Tallahassee, 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: “This case required exceptional investigative work by the Tallahassee Police Department, with support from our federal law enforcement partners, to identify, locate, and arrest this violent criminal. My office stands shoulder to shoulder with our law enforcement partners in the fight against violent crime, and we will continue to aggressively prosecute these cases to ensure dangerous thugs, like this defendant, are kept out of our communities and locked away behind bars.”

Court documents reflect that on February 7, 2026, the defendant was the driver of a car at the intersection of Ocala Road and Pensacola Street in Tallahassee. The defendant rolled down his window and fired a handgun several times into the air. After discharging his firearm, the defendant ran a red light and fled the area. The Tallahassee Police Department (TPD) investigated the shooting and located traffic camera footage that captured the shots. A detective responded to the scene and recovered twelve .40-caliber shell casings.

On February 10, 2026, TPD executed a search warrant at the defendant’s residence, and located the firearm used in the shooting hidden in a wall-mounted “concealment shelf.”

A loaded, extended Glock magazine was found next to the firearm, and a separate drum-style magazine was found in a dresser drawer. Laboratory analysis confirmed the defendant’s firearm had fired the shell casings recovered from the scene of the shooting. Historical location information for the defendant’s cellphone also put him at the scene of the shooting at the time of the shooting on February 7, 2026.

The defendant was prohibited from possessing firearms because he had previously spent 10 years in prison for two counts of robbery with a firearm, two counts of aggravated assault with a firearm, and possession of a controlled substance.

The case involved an investigation by the Tallahassee Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, with assistance from the Florida Department of Law Enforcement. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney James A. McCain.

The defendant faces up to 15 years in federal prison.

Sentencing is scheduled for December 3, 2026, at 10:00 am, in the United States Courthouse in Tallahassee before United States District Judge Robert L. Hinkle.

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 – Amontea Allen John Mitchell, 28, of Tallahassee, Florida, was sentenced to 10 years in federal prison after previously pleading guilty to attempted enticement of a minor, attempted transfer of obscene material to a minor, 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: “Our state and federal law enforcement partners remain ever-vigilant to stay one step ahead of the sexual predators, like this defendant, who seek to sexually exploit and victimize kids online. Aggressively prosecuting these sick individuals and ensuring they remain locked away in prison is the best way we can ensure our kids stay safe, and that is exactly what I will ensure my office does in cases like this.”

Court documents reflect that in April 2026, the Leon County Sheriff’s Office, Homeland Security Investigations, and the Tallahassee Police Department conducted an undercover operation to identify individuals using the internet to sexually exploit children. During the operation, the defendant responded to an online advertisement for a female escort and began communicating through text message with an undercover officer who was posing as a 15-year-old child. After the undercover officer told the defendant he was speaking to a 15-year-old female, the defendant proceeded to send an obscene photograph and asked the child to produce child pornography to send to him. The defendant ultimately expressed an interest in engaging in sex with the child. Law enforcement arrested the defendant near an arranged meeting location. Inside the defendant’s backpack, agents found three condoms and a firearm. The defendant is a felon with multiple prior felony convictions and is legally prohibited from possessing a firearm.

“Protecting children from those who seek to exploit them requires vigilance and collaboration,” said Tallahassee Police Chief Lawrence Revell. “This investigation is an example of what can be accomplished when local and federal law enforcement agencies combine their resources and expertise. We will continue working alongside our partners to identify those who prey on children and protect the most vulnerable members of our community.”

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

The conviction and sentence were the result of a joint investigation by Homeland Security Investigations, the Tallahassee Police Department, the Leon County Sheriff’s Office, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. Assistant United States Attorney Emma Schwan prosecuted the case.

This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood and Project Safe Neighborhoods. Project Safe Childhood is 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.

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.

Tallahassee, Florida – John Frederick Black, 46, of Houston, Texas, pleaded guilty to five counts of attempted transfer of obscene material to minors. John P. Heekin, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida, announced the guilty plea.

U.S. Attorney Heekin said: “I truly appreciate the dedication of our state and federal law enforcement partners to target, identify, and incapacitate the sexual predators, like this defendant, seeking to sexually exploit and victimize kids online. My office is committed to aggressively prosecuting those sick individuals to ensure they are locked away behind federal bars where they belong.”

Court records reflect that in January 2026, detectives with the Leon County Sheriff’s Office participated in an undercover operation in Tallahassee focused on identifying adults who used the internet to sexually exploit children. During the operation, the defendant contacted the undercover officer, who he believed to be a 13-year-old child, and engaged in sexually explicit conversation. The defendant also sent obscene photographs and videos of himself. The investigation revealed that the defendant resided in Texas and was employed as a police detective with the Harris County Sheriff’s Office in Houston, Texas.

Black will be sentenced in federal court before United States District Judge Robert L. Hinkle in Tallahassee, Florida, on December 3, 2026, at 2:00 p.m.

Black faces up to 10 years’ imprisonment on each count.

The case involved an joint investigation by the Leon 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, Northern District of Florida, visit https://www.justice.gov/usao-ndfl.

Tallahassee, Florida –Taija Avion Smith, 25, and Jaheed Anthony Williams, 24, both of Tallahassee, Florida, have been sentenced in federal court after pleading guilty to conspiracy to commit mail theft, theft of a mail key, bank fraud conspiracy, and multiple counts of aggravated identity theft. Williams, who also previously pleaded guilty to 14 counts of bank fraud, was sentenced to four years’ imprisonment.  Smith was sentenced to two years’ imprisonment. The sentences were announced by John P. Heekin, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida. 

U.S. Attorney Heekin said: “Our citizens deserve to be able to rely upon the U.S. Postal Service to quickly, efficiently, and securely deliver the mail, but this former postal employee violated the position of trust she occupied to enrich herself and her accomplish. Thanks to the excellent investigative work by the USPIS and Postal Inspector General, with support from our local law enforcement partners, these criminals are being sent to federal prison.”

Court documents reflect that between March 11, 2021, and May 21, 2024, Smith was employed by the United States Postal Service, in Tallahassee, Florida. Due to her employment, Smith had access to a postal key, which she stole and gave to her co-defendant, Williams. Together, Smith and Williams conspired to steal U.S. Mail, which included stealing mailed checks that they fraudulently deposited in financial institutions and thereafter split the proceeds of their scheme. Court records also show that Smith fraudulently received and used online bank login credentials of other individuals as part of the conspiracy. 

“Individuals who engage in crimes that violate the laws protecting the United States mail, whether employees or non-employees, will be pursued by the Postal Inspection Service alongside our state, local and federal partners,” said Bladismir Rojo, Inspector in Charge, U.S. Postal Inspection Service, Miami Division. “These federal prison sentences should serve as a warning to criminals who consider mail theft and check fraud a lucrative endeavor.”

This case was jointly investigated by the Tallahassee Police Department, the United States Postal Inspection Service, the Florida Department of Law Enforcement, and the United States Postal Service - Office of Inspector General. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Eric K. Mountin.

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 – Selvin J. Tello-Perez, 25, of Guatemala, pleaded guilty to possession of a firearm and ammunition by an illegal alien. John P. Heekin, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida announced the plea.

U.S. Attorney Heekin said: “My office continues to fulfill the promise made by President Donald J. Trump and Attorney General Todd Blanche that we will protect our streets from criminal illegal aliens who have demonstrated a brazen disregard for our nation’s laws. Our citizens deserve secure borders and crime-free neighborhoods, and my office will deliver both with continued successful prosecutions like this one.”

According to court documents, in January 2026, the defendant was arrested in Okaloosa County after being caught driving an electric scooter with a loaded revolver in a fanny pack zip-tied to its handlebars. The defendant is a previously deported Guatemalan citizen who had illegally re-entered the country.

Sentencing is scheduled for December 17, 2026, in Pensacola, Florida before United States District Court Judge T. Kent Wetherell, II. Tello-Perez faces up to 15 years’ imprisonment.

The case was jointly investigated by Homeland Security Investigations, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Enforcement and Removal Operations, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, and the Okaloosa County Sheriff’s Office. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Alicia H. Forbes. 

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 - A federal jury has found Ke Anthony Javon Blackmon, 30, of Pensacola, guilty of conspiracy to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl, two counts of distribution of fentanyl, possession with intent to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl, possession of a firearm and ammunition by a convicted felon, and carrying and possessing a firearm during, in relation, and in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. John P. Heekin, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida announced the verdict.

U.S. Attorney Heekin said: “This armed drug trafficker’s days of flooding our streets with deadly poison are over thanks to the outstanding trial work of my federal prosecutors who delivered a win that will benefit our entire community. I deeply appreciate the excellent investigative work by our Okaloosa and Escambia County sheriffs’ offices and our federal law enforcement partners that dismantled this drug trafficker’s operations and helped my team secure this successful prosecution. My office will continue to aggressively prosecute every drug peddler operating in my district to deliver the safe, drug-free streets that our citizens deserve.”  

According to evidence presented at trial, between around November 2024 and May 2025, Blackmon conspired with others to distribute large quantities of fentanyl throughout Escambia and Okaloosa Counties. During the investigation, law enforcement officers conducted controlled purchases of fentanyl from Blackmon. A subsequent search at two residences in Pensacola connected to him led to the seizure of over 3 kilograms of fentanyl, multiple firearms, and ammunition. The evidence further showed that Blackmon supplied fentanyl to other dealers, including up to a kilogram at a time and sometimes in exchange for firearms, which were illegal for him to possess as a convicted felon.

Due to multiple prior convictions for serious violent felonies, Blackmon faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 30 years up to life imprisonment. Sentencing is scheduled for December 22, 2026, at 9:00 a.m. in the U.S. Courthouse in Pensacola before United States District Judge T. Kent Wetherell, II. 

The case was the result of a joint investigation by the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Okaloosa County Sheriff’s Office, the Escambia County Sheriff’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. Assistant United States Attorneys Jessica Etherton, Alicia Forbes, and Brooke Lindsay 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 – Devon Mae Witryk, 28, of Columbus, Ohio, was sentenced to three years in federal prison after pleading guilty to felony child neglect occurring on Eglin Air Force Base, Florida. The sentence 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 of our Air Force partners, the child in this case was rescued from absolutely deplorable conditions, and my office has ensured this despicable defendant is held accountable for her criminal neglect.”

Court documents reveal that in June 2023, a welfare investigation was initiated for a child residing on Eglin Air Force Base. The defendant was the child’s mother and a military spouse. Investigation revealed the home was in deplorable condition and the young child needed medical attention. Due to the child not receiving appropriate care and supervision, the defendant’s home was inspected and investigators rescued the child. Witryk no longer has custody of or contact with the child. The child’s father was court-martialed by the U.S. Air Force for his role in the offense. 

This case was investigated by Eglin Air Force Base Security Forces Investigations. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Walter E. Narramore.

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 – Travis W. Carroll, 26, of Pensacola, Florida, was sentenced to five and a half years in federal prison for possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine, possession of a firearm or ammunition by a convicted felon, and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking offense. 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 off our streets is absolutely imperative, and thanks to the excellent investigative work by the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office and our federal law enforcement partners, that is exactly what we have accomplished in this case. We will continue to aggressively prosecute these cases to deliver the safe, crime-free streets that our citizens deserve.”

Court documents reflect that law enforcement received reports of an armed robbery at the Beacon Food Store in Pensacola, Florida. Law enforcement responded to the scene and observed the defendant, who matched the description given of the armed robbery suspect, riding an electric bicycle nearby. The defendant, who is a convicted felon legally prohibited from possessing firearms, ran a stop sign and was pulled over. During the contact with the defendant, law enforcement located a loaded firearm, methamphetamine, a scale, and more than $600.00 in U.S. Currency on his person.

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 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.

Tallahassee, Florida – Emiliano Rafael Hernandez Escamilla, 26, of Mexico, was sentenced after a federal conviction for possession of ammunition by an alien. The sentence was announced by John P. Heekin, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida. 

U.S. Attorney Heekin said: “President Donald J. Trump and Attorney General Todd Blanche remain committed to devoting the full might of the Department of Justice toward protecting our communities from criminal illegal aliens threatening the safety of our citizens. My office will continue to aggressively enforce our nation’s laws to deliver the secure borders and safe streets that our citizens deserve.”

A federal investigation revealed that on March 27, 2026, law enforcement located fifty rounds of 9-millimeter ammunition during a lawful search of the Escamilla’s vehicle. Immigration records revealed that Escamilla was a native of Mexico and did not have lawful status in the United States. Escamilla admitted to ownership of the ammunition and admitted he was illegally present in the United States.

Escamilla was sentenced to credit for time served (approximately 134 days) at the United States Courthouse in Tallahassee by District Judge Mark E. Walker. As an illegal alien, Escamilla is subject to deportation.

The case involved a joint investigation by Homeland Security Investigations and the Bay County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant United States Attorney Joseph A. Ravelo 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 –Ronnie Lee Small Jr., 48, of Wewahitchka, Florida, was sentenced to 10 years in federal prison after previously being convicted of three counts of distribution of methamphetamine at jury trial. The sentence was announced by John P. Heekin, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida.

U.S. Attorney Heekin said: “If the message from my office isn’t already abundantly clear, let me say it plainly now: if you peddle deadly drugs in our communities, my exceptional prosecutors will send you to federal prison. The citizens of this District deserve to live in safe, drug-free communities, and that is exactly what my office will deliver with continued aggressive prosecutions and lengthy prison sentences like this one.”

Evidence at trial demonstrated that the defendant sold methamphetamine to a confidential source working with the Gulf County Sheriff’s Office on three separate occasions with approximate weights of one ounce, one ounce, and two ounces.

This sentencing was the result of a joint investigation by the Gulf County Sheriff’s Office and the Drug Enforcement Administration. Assistant United States Attorneys Michelle Spaven and James A. McCain prosecuted the case.

“This sentencing reflects the strong partnership between the Gulf County Sheriff’s Office and our local, state, and federal partners,” said Gulf County Sheriff Mike Harrison. “Together, we remain dedicated to protecting our communities and ensuring offenders are held accountable.”

“We are coming for methamphetamine traffickers in the Florida Panhandle,” said DEA Special Agent in Charge Daniel Escobar, Tampa Field Division. “Our agents maintain a strong presence in that region and will continue to do so until these criminals are brought to justice.”

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 – Ramone Ron Young, Jr., 34, of Gainesville, Florida, pleaded guilty in federal court to one count of possession of a firearm and ammunition 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, violent felons off our streets is one of my office’s top priorities, and thanks to the excellent investigative work of the Gainesville Police Department, with support from our federal law enforcement partners, we have delivered another successful prosecution in this case. Under the leadership of President Donald J. Trump and Attorney General Todd Blanche, my office is aggressively prosecuting criminal offenders to ensure our citizens can enjoy the safe, crime-free streets they deserve.” 

Court documents reflect that on May 28, 2026, law enforcement responded to a report that the defendant had pointed a gun at another individual. Through investigation, officers determined the defendant possessed a loaded FMK .40-caliber pistol, despite being legally prohibited from possessing firearms or ammunition because he had been previously convicted of robbery with a weapon and cocaine possession.   

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

Young’s sentencing is scheduled for November 23, 2026, at 11:30 a.m. before Chief United States District Allen Winsor at the United States Courthouse in Gainesville, Florida.

The plea was the result of a joint 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 Tyler Fleming.

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 – Keagan Garrett Bohlinger, 26, of Monticello, Florida, pleaded guilty in federal court to 11 counts of production of child pornography and one count of possession of child pornography from the internet. The plea was announced by John P. Heekin, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida. 

U.S. Attorney Heekin said: “It is one of my office’s top priorities to target and aggressively prosecute anyone who sexually exploits and victimizes a child. The fact that this defendant served as a public safety officer makes the commission of his heinous crimes even more egregious, and my office will pursue maximum punishment to achieve justice for the minor victim.”

Court documents reflect that the defendant was a Monticello Police Department Officer who sexually abused a young child and produced multiple videos and images of the sexual abuse on three occasions in January 2026. He also possessed videos and images of child pornography downloaded from the internet.

The defendant faces a mandatory minimum of 15 years in prison and a maximum of 350 years, which includes up to 30 years per production count, and 20 years for possession, all potentially running consecutively. After his release from prison, the defendant will be a registered sex offender and will be sentenced to supervised release for at least 5 years and up to life.

The case involved an investigation by Homeland Security Investigations and the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney James A. McCain.

Sentencing is scheduled for December 11, 2026, at 11:00 am, in the United States Courthouse in Tallahassee before United States District Judge Mark E. Walker.

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.

Tallahassee, Florida – James Dalton Bryant, 54, of Tallahassee, Florida, has pleaded guilty in federal court to a single count of bank robbery. The plea was announced by John P. Heekin, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida. 

U.S. Attorney Heekin said: “This case exemplifies the excellent investigative work of the Tallahassee Police Department to identify, track down, and arrest violent criminals, like this defendant. The safety of our communities is not negotiable, and I am committed to ensuring we aggressively prosecute these crimes to send criminals like this defendant to federal prison.”

Court documents reflect that on June 22, 2026, minutes after opening, a Regions Bank in Tallahassee was robbed by a male who approached a teller with a note demanding cash. The individual was given approximately $3,190 in cash, after which he left the bank. Investigators determined that the robbery suspect, later identified as the defendant, had arrived at the bank as a passenger in a white Mercedes sedan, and after robbing the bank, had fled in the same vehicle. Detectives identified the suspect vehicle and questioned the owners, who were determined to have not been aware of nor involved in the actual robbery. With the aid of information provided by witnesses, as well as through an anonymous Crime Solvers Tip, the defendant was located and arrested. At the time of his arrest, he was found in possession of some of the currency stolen from Regions Bank. When questioned, the defendant confessed to the robbery. 

The defendant faces up to twenty years’ imprisonment. Sentencing is scheduled for December 10, 2026, at 10:00am at the United States Courthouse in Tallahassee before United States District Judge Robert L. Hinkle.            

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

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, Pensacola and Gainesville – Today, United States Attorney John P. Heekin announced 22 new indictments since July 2026 against previously deported illegal aliens for illegal reentry into the United States. Since July, a total of 53 illegal aliens have been convicted of federal immigration crimes in the Northern District of Florida.

U.S. Attorney Heekin said: “Each of these defendants brazenly thought they could violate our nation’s laws with impunity, and that they could lie, cheat, and steal their way into remaining in our country. Wrong. American citizens deserve to live in a country with secure borders and law enforcement officials willing to uphold the laws that keep us safe. My office is answering that call with continued aggressive prosecutions and swift punishments for the criminal illegal aliens caught in the Northern District of Florida, and we will continue to do so until our citizens get the safe, crime-free communities that they deserve.”

According to court records, 53 indicted illegal aliens have been convicted and sentenced since July:

• Jose Guadelupe Escobar, 48, of Nicaragua, who was previously removed in July 2009, was encountered in Leon County on October 22, 2025.
• Romeo Escalon, 44, of Honduras, who was previously removed in January 2012, was encountered in Okaloosa County on February 21, 2026.
• Darlin Alvan-Galdamez, 32, of Honduras, who was previously removed in April 2019, was encountered in Okaloosa County on March 1, 2026.
• Leonel Morales-Gaytan, 33, of Mexico, who was previously removed in March 2020 and April 2022, was encountered in Bay County on April 14, 2026.
• Alex Joel Maldonado-Erazo, 38, of Honduras, who was previously removed in November 2015, was encountered in Okaloosa County on March 20, 2026.
• Cirilo Perez-Michua, 39, of Mexico, who was previously removed twice in March 2009, October 2009, December 2024, and January 2025, was encountered in Walton County on April 22, 2026.
• Jose Barahona-Paz, 27, of Honduras, who was previously removed in September 2019, was encountered in Walton County on April 28, 2026.
• Pascual Hernandez-Shilon, 56, of Mexico, who was previously removed in March 2011, May 2011, October 2019, and November 2019, was encountered in Walton County on April 26, 2026.
• Victor Sanchez Lopez, 30, of Guatemala, who was previously removed in February 2017, was encountered in Okaloosa County on April 21, 2026.
• Jose Patzan-Camey, 28, of Guatemala, who was previously removed in October 2018, was encountered in Santa Rosa County on April 21, 2026.
• Marcelino Mendez-Gomez, age, of Mexico, who was previously removed in August 2013 and October 2019, was encountered in Walton County on May 11, 2026.
• Adelmo Alvardo-Lopez, 55, of Honduras, who was previously removed in February 2018 and May 2018, was encountered in Bay County on May 16, 2026. 
• Juan Ruiz-Jimenez, 31, of Guatemala, who was previously removed in May 2014 and November 2020, was encountered in Bay County on May 4, 2026.
• Irvin Noe Arias Marquez, 28, of Honduras, who was previously removed in April 2021 and February 2024, was encountered in Washington County on February 15, 2026.
• Angel Gabriel Santos-Guerra, 29, of Honduras, who was previously removed in June 2023 and July 2023, was encountered in Bay County on April 20, 2026.
• Andres Antonio Mendez, 34, of Guatemala, who was previously removed in May 2015, August 2015, and December 2015, was encountered in Jackson County on June 11, 2026.
• Ramon Alfredo Solano-Cruz, 36, of Honduras, who was previously removed in October 2012 and February 2019, was encountered in Bay County on May 15, 2026.
• Hugo Angeles-Cruz, 42, of Mexico, who was previously removed in March 2016, was encountered in Bay County on May 18, 2026.
• Josue Orlando Medina-Lira, 35, of Honduras, who was previously removed in August 2009 and February 2023, was encountered in Escambia County on May 17, 2026.
• Denis Eduardo Garache Moncada, 29, of Honduras, who was previously removed in January 2019, was encountered in Bay County on March 20, 2024 and on or about May 28, 2026.
• David Chavez-Lopez, 32, of Guatemala, who was previously removed in November 2018, was encountered in Escambia County on June 9, 2026.
• Javier Bovadillo-Cedillo, 39, of Mexico, who was previously removed in December 2019, was encountered in Bay County on May 12, 2026.
• Santos Martinez-Sadillo, 33, Mexico, who was previously removed in January 2013, was encountered in Bay County on May 12, 2026.
• Jose Hernandez-Coca, 38, of Mexico, who was previously removed in August 2017 and September 2017, was encountered in Bay County on May 11, 2026.
• Edson Saravia-Romero, 45, of Honduras, who was previously removed in May 2008, was encountered in Bay County on May 13, 2026. 
• Fredy Solano-Maldonado, 25, of Honduras, who was previously removed in October 2023, was encountered in Bay County on May 15, 2026.
• Edras Sinaid-Arisandieta, 42, of Guatemala, who was previously removed in May 2006, was encountered in Bay County on June 5, 2026.
• Frederico Ramos-Perez, 27, of Guatemala, who was previously removed in December 2020, was encountered in Jackson County on April 30, 2026.
• Angel Urbina-Meza, 34, of Honduras, who was previously removed in April 2013, was encountered in Bay County on June 19, 2026.
• Osanin Diaz-Cantarero, 46, of Mexico, allegedly reentered the United States illegally and was located in Madison County in June 2026, after previously being deported twice in 2019. 
• Saul Alvarado-Hernandez, 30, of Honduras, allegedly reentered the United States illegally and was located in Santa Rosa County in June 2026, after previously being deported in 2019.
• Rodrigo Quintana-Sanchez, 41, of Mexico, allegedly reentered the United Sates illegally and was located in Okaloosa County in June 2026, after previously being deported three times in 2012, once in 2013 and again in 2014. 
• Luis Banos-Guzman, 40, of Mexico, allegedly reentered the United States illegally and was located in Santa Rosa County in July 2026, after previously being deported in 2016. 
• Jose Gomez-Palma, 45, of Mexico, allegedly reentered the United States illegally and was located in Santa Rosa County in June 2026, after previously being deported in 2012 and 2019. 
• Abelardo de Jesus Gonzalez-Carrilo, 30, of Mexico, allegedly reentered the United States illegally and was located in Okaloosa County in June 2026, after previously being deported in 2016. 
• Carlos Jimenez-Martin, 42, of Guatemala, allegedly reentered the United States illegally and was located in Okaloosa County in July 2026, after previously being deported in 2017. 
• Maria Linares Gonzalez, 47, of Mexico, allegedly reentered the United States illegally and was located in Escambia County in June 2026, after previously being deported twice in 2009. 
• Jose Guillen-Padilla, 36, of Honduras, allegedly reentered the United States illegally and was located in Escambia County in July 2026, after previously being deported in 2020 and 2023. 
• Ever Dias-Portillo, 27, of Honduras, allegedly reentered the United States illegally and was located in Escambia County in July 2026, after previously being deported in 2019. 
• Roman Aguilar-Bedolla, 41, of Mexico, allegedly reentered the United States illegally and was located in Santa Rosa County in August 2026, after previously being deported in 2011. 
• Natalio Espinosa Lopez, 38, of Mexico, allegedly reentered the United States illegally and was located in Okaloosa County in July 2026, after previously being deported in 2014, 2015, 2017, and 2019. 
• Luis Alonza Garrido Ortiz, 45, of Honduras, allegedly reentered the United States illegally and was located in Okaloosa County in July 2026, after previously being deported in 2012, 2013, and 2014. 
• Augustin Guerrero-Guerrero, 41, of Honduras, allegedly reentered the United States illegally and was located in Okaloosa County in August 2026, after previously being deported in 2006, 2012, and 2022. 
• Saul Mendez-Perez, 43, of Mexico, allegedly reentered the United States illegally and was located in Escambia County in June 2026, after previously being deported in 2018 and twice in 2019.
• Luis Fernando Rivera-Luna, 31, of Mexico, allegedly reentered the United States illegally and was located in Santa Rosa County in July 2026, after previously being deported in 2019. 
• Jeny Paola Ruiz-Pulgarin, 25, of Colombia, allegedly reentered the United States illegally and was located in Escambia County in August 2026, after previously being deported in 2021. 
• Wilson Yony Velasquez-Perez, 28, of Guatemala, allegedly reentered the United States illegally and was located in Okaloosa County in August 2026, after previously being deported in 2016. 
• Daniel Martinez Aguilar, 40, of Mexico, allegedly reentered the United States illegally and was located in Bay County in June 2026, after previously being deported in 2014.
• Daniel Moshan Martinez, 32, of Mexico, allegedly reentered the United States illegally and was located in Santa Rosa County in June 2026, after previously being deported in 2016.
• Jose Antonio Ovalle-Pichiya, 32, of Guatemala, allegedly reentered the United States illegally and was located in Bay County in May 2026, after previously being deported twice in 2014 and again in 2016.
• Salomon Ruiz-Garcia, 35, of Mexico, allegedly reentered the United States illegally and was located in Bay County in June 2026, after previously being deported in 2015, 2019 and 2025.
• Saul Francisco-Marquez, 40, of Mexico, allegedly reentered the United States illegally and was located in May 2026, after previously being deported in 2012.
• Teodoro Emanuel Marcial-Mayo, 29, allegedly reentered the United States illegally and was located in June 2026, after previously being deported in 2017.

According to court records, four illegal aliens are currently under indictment and awaiting a trial:

• Melkin Manueles-Vasquez, 26, of Honduras, allegedly reentered the United States illegally and was located in Santa Rosa County in July 2026, after previously being deported in 2019. 
• Donato Cazuela-Cazuela, 40, of Honduras, allegedly reentered the United States illegally and was located in Lafayette County in June 2026, after previously being deported in 2022. Trial is scheduled for October 21, 2026, in Gainesville, Florida.
• Nelson Paz-Alvarenga, 46, of Honduras, allegedly reentered the United States illegally and was located in Escambia County in December 2024, after previously being deported in 2005 and 2010. Trial is scheduled for October 5, 2026, in Pensacola, Florida.
• Ever Paz-Perez, 33, of Guatemala, allegedly reentered the United States illegally and was located in Escambia County in June 2026, after previously being deported in 2012, 2013, and 2024. Sentencing set for September 29, 2026, in Pensacola, Florida.

The penalty for illegally reentering the United States after deportation is a maximum of two years in prison and a $250,000 fine. Cazuela-Cazuela faces a maximum of 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine pursuant to allegations of prior convictions qualifying for an increased maximum sentence. 

The cases involved investigations by Homeland Security Investigations and Enforcement and Removal Operations with the assistance of the Madison County Sheriff’s Office, Santa Rosa County Sheriff’s Office, Okaloosa County Sheriff’s Office, Escambia County Sheriff’s Office, Florida Highway Patrol, Lafayette County Sheriff’s Office, Walton County Sheriff’s Office, Bay County Sheriff’s Office, Pensacola Police Department, Lynn Haven Police Department, Panama City Beach Police Department, and the Milton Police Department. 

Assistant United States Attorneys Tyler Fleming, Alicia H. Forbes, Thomas S.P. Geeker, Brooke Lindsay, James A. McCain, Walter E. Narramore, Joseph A. Ravelo, Emma Schwan, Jeffrey Tharp, and Eric W. Welch prosecuted the cases.

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 in a court of law.

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 – Devin Scott Waldeck, 35, of Cross City, Florida, was sentenced to 20 years in federal prison for child exploitation and distribution 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: “Through Operation Relentless Justice, we continue to identify, target, and take down the sexual predators lurking online who seek to sexually exploit and victimize children. This defendant’s abhorrent crimes deserve severe punishment, and thanks to the successful prosecution by my office he will spend decades in federal prison. My office, and our state and federal law enforcement partners, will continue our relentless pursuit of these sick individuals to ensure our kids are safe, both online and in our communities.”

Court documents reflect that, in November 2025, law enforcement became aware the defendant, posing as the mother of a minor child, was using the online Reddit platform to discuss the sexual exploitation of the minor child.  The defendant offered the minor child to the Reddit user and graphically described ways the user could sexually exploit the minor.  The defendant saved explicit videos and pictures of the minor child in a secret app on his cell phone along with other sexually explicit videos and photos of other named individuals. The defendant had hundreds of communications with other Reddit users discussing sexual “hookups,” including 17 conversations where he stated he either had sexual encounters or wanted to have sexual encounters with minors. 

“Devin Waldeck once wore a badge and was trusted to protect others,” said FBI Jacksonville Special Agent in Charge Jason Carley. “Instead, he chose to engage in the exploitation of a child. Protecting children from dangerous predators who target them online remains one of our top priorities. We will continue to work closely with our law enforcement partners to aggressively pursue those who exploit children online and use technology to harm the most vulnerable members of our community.”

The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation with assistance from the Dixie County Sheriff’s Office. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Christie S. Utt. 

This case was a result of Operation Relentless Justice, a coordinated enforcement effort to identify, track and arrest child sex predators. For more information, please visit https://www.justice.gov/usao-edva/pr/justice-department-announces-results-operation-relentless-justice.

These operations underscore the Department’s unwavering commitment to protecting children and combating child sexual exploitation. 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 – Eddie Jerome Scott, 39, of Gainesville, Florida, was sentenced to 20 years in federal prison for distribution of 5 grams or more of methamphetamine, distribution of 5 grams or more of methamphetamine, possession with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine, cocaine, and fentanyl, possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking offense, and 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: “This substantial prison sentence appropriately reflects the severity of the threat posed to our communities by this serial felon’s rampant criminality. Thanks to the successful prosecution by my office his reign of terror is now at an end. President Donald J. Trump and Attorney General Todd Blanche have committed the Department of Justice toward the necessary mission of aggressively enforcing our laws to keep our communities safe, and that is exactly what my office will continue doing until the citizens of my district get the safe, drug-free streets that they deserve.”

Court documents reflect that the defendant sold methamphetamine at his home on two occasions in August and September 2025. A search warrant was executed at the home. Law enforcement seized over 1,232 grams of methamphetamine, 18.5 grams of cocaine, .29 grams of fentanyl, buprenophrine, gabapentin, marijuana, cash, drug paraphernalia, a money counter, and a loaded .22-caliber pistol. The defendant has multiple prior felony convictions including possession of cocaine and sale of a controlled substance, and was legally prohibited from possessing firearms or ammunition. 

“This polydrug distributor operated in a college town, preying on young students, among others,” said DEA Special Agent in Charge Daniel Escobar, Tampa Field Division. “This armed trafficker dealt in sizeable quantities of methamphetamine, which can destroy communities. Gainesville residents will be safer with this criminal off the streets.”

“Today’s sentencing sends a clear message that those who distribute dangerous drugs and possess firearms while committing crimes will be held accountable,” said Gainesville Police Chief Nelson Moya. 

The case involved an investigation by the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, and the Gainesville Police Department. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Christie Utt and Tyler Fleming.

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 – Quardarell Henry Robinson, 38, of Gainesville, pleaded guilty to possession with intent to distribute cocaine, cocaine base, and marijuana and possession of a firearm during and in relation to a drug trafficking crime. John P. Heekin, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida, announced the plea.

U.S. Attorney Heekin said: “Thanks to the excellent investigative work of our federal law enforcement partners, and this successful prosecution by my office, this armed drug trafficker has been taken off our streets. Anyone peddling drugs and violence in my district will face the full might of the Department of Justice.”

Court documents reflect that in February 2026, the defendant threw a handbag and a loaded pistol outside of his vehicle while attempting to evade law enforcement. The handbag was recovered and found to contain over 140 grams of cocaine, cocaine base, individually packaged marijuana bags, other baggies, and an electronic scale.  Law enforcement also recovered a handgun in the area where defendant’s vehicle had stopped, which had been captured by nearby commercial business surveillance cameras.  Later, a search warrant was executed at the defendant’s residence, where law enforcement recovered a loaded handgun and cookware that contained cocaine base. 

Robinson faces a minimum of five years’ imprisonment, and up to life imprisonment. 

Sentencing is scheduled before Chief United States District Judge Allen C. Winsor, in Gainesville, Florida, on November 23, 2026, at 10:30 a.m.

The plea was the result of a joint investigation by the Drug Enforcement Administration and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Adam Hapner and James 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 – 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.