Three Santa Rosa County Men Sentenced to Federal Prison for Their Roles in Drug Trafficking Operation
PENSACOLA, FLORIDA – David Kennedy, 41; Michael McQueen, 51; and Roosevelt Jones, 52, of Milton, Fla., were sentenced to federal prison for trafficking in controlled substances in Santa Rosa County, Fla. The sentences were announced by John P. Heekin, U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Florida.
“Working with our state and local partners, federal law enforcement was able to dismantle a significant drug trafficking ring that plagued Santa Rosa County for years,” said Heekin. “We are pleased with this successful operation, in particular, because all three men are repeat drug trafficking offenders. President Donald J. Trump and Attorney General Pam Bondi promised to Take Back America by cracking down on the drug traffickers plaguing our communities, and my office will not stop aggressively pursuing those who seek to victimize our citizens by flooding our streets with poisonous drugs.”
Court documents reflect that covert undercover purchases of illegal drugs, as well as surveillance and judicially authorized wiretap intercepts of telephone communications, enabled law enforcement to execute multiple search warrants in Milton that led to the seizure of cocaine, pure methamphetamine, fentanyl, and marijuana. In addition, law enforcement seized firearms and illicitly derived United States currency.
David Kennedy was sentenced to 15 years in federal prison to be followed by 5 years of supervised release.
Michael McQueen was sentenced to 11½ years in federal prison to be followed by 6 years of supervised release.
Roosevelt Jones was sentenced to 6½ years in federal prison to be followed by 6 years of supervised release.
“Partnerships are key to disrupting drug trafficking activity, and we have great partners,” said Drug Enforcement Administration Miami Field Division Special Agent in Charge Deanne L. Reuter. “Our communities will be safer with these drug peddlers off the streets.”
“The successful collaboration between the federal, state, local agencies, and our Narcotics Detectives has been instrumental in removing dangerous drugs from our streets,” said Sheriff Bob Johnson, Santa Rosa County Sheriff’s Office. “More importantly, this joint effort led to the arrest of key drug dealers, ensuring they are held accountable for their actions and making our communities safer.”
The case involved a joint investigation by the Drug Enforcement Administration; Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives; Santa Rosa County Sheriff’s Office; Escambia County Sheriff’s Office; Florida Department of Law Enforcement; Pensacola Police Department; Gulf Breeze Police Department; and Florida Highway Patrol.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America (https://www.justice.gov/dag/media/1393746/dl?inline ) 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. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).
