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.