United States Drug Enforcement Administration

OCALA, Fla. – Senior U.S. District Judge John Antoon II has sentenced Jonathan Jermain Thomas (33, Ocala) to 38 years and 4 months years in federal prison. A federal jury had convicted Thomas on April 28, 2022, of conspiring to possess with intent to distribute more than 500 grams of methamphetamine, more than 5 kilograms of cocaine, and more than 1 kilogram of heroin. The jury also found Thomas guilty of possessing a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking and possessing with the intent to distribute more than 400 grams of fentanyl.

According to court documents and evidence produced at trial, Thomas supplied large amounts of drugs to a “trap house” in Summerfield, Florida. Once the drugs were delivered to the house, Thomas’s conspirators worked together to prepare, mix, and distribute the various substances to users and smaller-scale suppliers who made daily purchases from the residence. The conspiracy included Thomas as the lead supplier, enforcers who carried firearms to protect the drug assets, and others who helped package and distribute the substances from the house.

On September 9, 2020, Thomas was stopped by law enforcement on I-75 in Gainesville. After smelling the odor of marijuana, a search of the vehicle yielded nearly a kilogram of fentanyl hidden within the vehicle’s side paneling. The fentanyl had been packaged for distribution, and Thomas was heading to Detroit, Michigan to meet with a buyer. His passenger, who was charged in the indictment, pleaded guilty prior to trial.

In addition to Thomas, eight conspirators previously pleaded guilty and have been sentenced for their roles in this case: 

This effort is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF.

This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration Gainesville Resident Office with support from the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Marion County Sheriff’s Office, the Unified Drug Enforcement Strike Team, the Alachua County Sheriff’s Office, and the Gainesville Police Department. It was prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Florida. More information about this case can be found at https://www.flmd.uscourts.gov or https://ecf.flmd.uscourts.gov

If you are aware of controlled substance violations in your community, please submit your anonymous tip through the DEA online Tip Line at Submit a Tip | DEA.gov.  Concerns about prescription drug abuse or diversion can be reported to the DEA through this link: RX Abuse Online Reporting (usdoj.gov).

The DEA encourages parents, teachers, care givers, guardians, and children to educate themselves about the dangers of drugs by visiting DEA’s interactive websites at www.JustThinkTwice.com , www.GetSmartAboutDrugs.com , www.CampusDrugPrevention.gov , and www.dea.gov.

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