Pensacola Gang Member Found Guilty of Fentanyl Trafficking and Firearm Offenses, Faces Life in Prison
Pensacola, Fla. - A federal jury has found Ke Anthony Javon Blackmon, 30, of Pensacola, guilty of conspiracy to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl, two counts of distribution of fentanyl, possession with intent to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl, possession of a firearm and ammunition by a convicted felon, and carrying and possessing a firearm during, in relation, and in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. John P. Heekin, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida announced the verdict.
U.S. Attorney Heekin said: “This armed drug trafficker’s days of flooding our streets with deadly poison are over thanks to the outstanding trial work of my federal prosecutors who delivered a win that will benefit our entire community. I deeply appreciate the excellent investigative work by our Okaloosa and Escambia County sheriffs’ offices and our federal law enforcement partners that dismantled this drug trafficker’s operations and helped my team secure this successful prosecution. My office will continue to aggressively prosecute every drug peddler operating in my district to deliver the safe, drug-free streets that our citizens deserve.”
According to evidence presented at trial, between around November 2024 and May 2025, Blackmon conspired with others to distribute large quantities of fentanyl throughout Escambia and Okaloosa Counties. During the investigation, law enforcement officers conducted controlled purchases of fentanyl from Blackmon. A subsequent search at two residences in Pensacola connected to him led to the seizure of over 3 kilograms of fentanyl, multiple firearms, and ammunition. The evidence further showed that Blackmon supplied fentanyl to other dealers, including up to a kilogram at a time and sometimes in exchange for firearms, which were illegal for him to possess as a convicted felon.
Due to multiple prior convictions for serious violent felonies, Blackmon faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 30 years up to life imprisonment. Sentencing is scheduled for December 22, 2026, at 9:00 a.m. in the U.S. Courthouse in Pensacola before United States District Judge T. Kent Wetherell, II.
The case was the result of a joint investigation by the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Okaloosa County Sheriff’s Office, the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, with assistance from the Gulf Coast High Intensity Drug Trafficking Areas (HIDTA) Task Force. Assistant United States Attorneys Jessica Etherton, Alicia Forbes, and Brooke Lindsay prosecuted the case.
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.