United States Drug Enforcement Administration

Tallahassee, Fla. – Jimmy Randell Chason, 69, of Cairo, Ga., has been indicted in federal court on three counts of distribution of methamphetamine and one count of possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine. John P. Heekin, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida announced the charges.

"Methamphetamine--which destroys families--is a frequently trafficked substance in the Pan Handle of Florida," said DEA Special Agent in Charge Daniel Escobar, Tampa Field Division. "We work tirelessly to stop the flow of this poison into our communities."

Chason appeared in federal court for his arraignment before United States Magistrate Judge Charles A. Stampelos in Tallahassee, Fla. Change of plea is scheduled for June 15, 2026, at 11:30 am before Chief District Court Judge Allen C. Winsor in Tallahassee, Florida.

If convicted, Chason faces 10 years to life imprisonment on each count.

The case is being investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration and North Florida High Intensity Drug Trafficking Areas (HIDTA). 

An indictment is merely an allegation by a grand jury that a defendant has committed a violation of federal criminal law and is not evidence of guilt. All defendants are presumed innocent and entitled to a fair trial, during which it will be the government’s burden to prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt at trial. 

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.