United States Drug Enforcement Administration

Tallahassee, Fla. – Ramon Velazquez Rodas, 46, of Tallahassee, Fla., has been sentenced to 13 years in federal prison for charges relating to possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine and fentanyl, and possession of a stolen firearm by a convicted felon. 

Court documents reflect that on August 11, 2022, as part of an ongoing drug investigation targeting multiple individuals, law enforcement officers executed a search warrant at a suspected drug house where the defendant was found in Tallahassee, Florida. Pursuant to the search warrant, officers located methamphetamine and fentanyl, a stolen handgun, $2,900 in currency, and other items indicative of drug distribution. The defendant is legally barred from possessing firearms as a multi-time convicted felon, including prior convictions for burglary of a dwelling, burglary of an unoccupied dwelling, possession of burglary tools, dealing in stolen property, and possession of controlled substances.

“It’s been a busy few weeks as DEA and its law enforcement partners have brought numerous North Florida drug traffickers to justice,” said Special Agent in Charge Daniel Escobar, Drug Enforcement Administration Tampa Field Division. “DEA will pursue, investigate, and arrest all who poison its communities.”

The sentence was announced by John P. Heekin, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida.

U.S. Attorney Heekin said: “This successful prosecution and substantial prison sentence is yet another win for the citizens of the Northern District of Florida, as my office continues to aggressively prosecute these cases to deliver the safe, drug-free streets they deserve. We have more work to do, and thanks to the support of President Donald J. Trump through Operation Take Back America, we will continue to deploy the full power of the Department of Justice to dismantle the drug trafficking rings that have funneled deadly drugs into our communities for far too long.”

The case involved a joint investigation by Drug Enforcement Administration, Tallahassee Police Department, and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives. 

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.