United States Drug Enforcement Administration

Tallahassee, Fla. – Tedrick Childs, 46, of Tallahassee, has been sentenced to 21 years and six months in federal prison after pleading guilty to one count of distribution of cocaine and one count of distribution of methamphetamine. Childs, who was on supervised release for a 2018 federal drug conviction, was also sentenced to 33 months in federal prison for violating the terms of his supervised release. John P. Heekin, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida announced the sentence.

U.S. Attorney Heekin said: “This repeat offender’s continued criminality after a prior federal conviction clearly demonstrated that the only way we can protect our community is by keeping him locked away behind federal bars. Thanks to the aggressive prosecution by my office, we have ensured his days of running drugs on our streets are over.”

Court records indicate that the defendant was identified by the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) as a poly-drug trafficker in the Tallahassee area. During an undercover operation, DEA purchased cocaine and methamphetamine from the defendant between November and December 2025. In 2017, Childs was convicted in federal court for distribution of cocaine, and he was serving a term of supervised release as part of his sentence in that case when he sold drugs in 2025.

“Being on supervised release gives people returning to civilian life the opportunity to make better life choices,” said DEA Special Agent in Charge Daniel Escobar, Tampa Field Division. “Trafficking in cocaine and methamphetamine is not helping the communities and not the correct choice.”

The case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration and was 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.