Orlando, Florida – U.S. District Judge Carlos E. Mendoza has sentenced the last of nine co-defendants for charges related to an Orlando Drug Trafficking Organization. Each of the defendants previously pleaded guilty. U.S. Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe made the announcement. See details below: Name (Age, Residence) Charges Sentencing Date Sentence...

Tampa, Fla. – Celso Navarro Diaz (65, Colombia) has been sentenced to 30 years in federal prison for conspiring to traffic more than five kilograms of cocaine on vessels subject to the jurisdiction of the United States and conspiring to import more than five kilograms of cocaine into the United...

MIAMI – Five defendants pleaded guilty to conspiring to import thousands of kilograms of cocaine into South Florida aboard sport fishing vessels from the Dominican Republic. According to court records, Andy Gabriel Mercedes-Hernandez, 32; Jesus Alberto Salcedo-Perez, 32; Keisy Estibet Peguero, 38; Enmanuel Amauris Rivera-Cabrera, 32; and Mario Joel Rijo-Jimenez...

MIAMI – Ten defendants have been sentenced to federal prison for their roles in a South Florida cocaine trafficking conspiracy that involved cocaine supplied by a Mexican drug cartel and others. U.S. District Judge Darrin P. Gayles sentenced Reinaldo Fernandez, 63, to 188 months in federal prison; Javier Garcia-Mora, 40...

Orlando, Florida – U.S. District Judge Carlos E. Mendoza has sentenced the last of nine co-defendants for charges related to an Orlando Drug Trafficking Organization. Each of the defendants previously pleaded guilty. U.S. Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe made the announcement. See details below: Name (Age, Residence) Charges Sentencing Date Sentence...

Jacksonville, Fla. – United States Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe announces the unsealing of an Indictment charging 13 defendants—all alleged members and associates of the Slime gang—with crimes including racketeering conspiracy, drug trafficking conspiracy, murder-for-hire, conspiracy to commit murder-for-hire, and retaliating against a witness. Slime was primarily active in the Northside...

Tampa, Fla. – Herbert Battle, Jr. (54, Hardee County) has been sentenced by U.S. District Judge Virgina M. Hernandez Covington to 27 years in federal prison for conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute over 500 grams of methamphetamine. Battle pleaded guilty on August 19, 2025.United States Attorney...

MIAMI – A California duo accused of operating a darknet drug trafficking business that sold fentanyl and methamphetamine nationwide, including in South Florida, and laundered hundreds of thousands of dollars in cryptocurrency has been indicted by a Southern District of Florida grand jury. According to court documents, Nicholas Aguilar, 44...

Jacksonville, Fla. – Owens Coleman Parker, Jr. (51, Jacksonville) has been sentenced by U.S. District Judge Jordan E. Pratt to 17 years and 6 months in federal prison for conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl and 50 grams or more of methamphetamine. Parker...

Pensacola, Florida – Today, United States Attorney John P. Heekin announced criminal charges against Dr. Edward Scott Morrison, who is accused of illegally distributing and dispensing controlled substances. The charges filed in federal court are part of the Department of Justice’s 2026 National Health Care Fraud Takedown. U.S. Attorney Heekin...