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.