James Craig, 46, of Mokena, Illinois, has been indicted on one count of possession with intent to distribute 100 kilograms or more of marijuana, according to a July 22 announcement from United States Attorney John P. Heekin for the Northern District of Florida.
Craig appeared before United States Magistrate Judge Zachary Bolitho in Pensacola for his arraignment. A jury trial is scheduled for September 8 at 8:00 a.m. before District Court Judge M. Casey Rodgers. If convicted, Craig faces between five and forty years’ imprisonment.
The Drug Enforcement Administration investigated the case with assistance from the Gulf Coast High Intensity Drug Trafficking Areas Task Force. Assistant United States Attorney Alicia H. Forbes is prosecuting the case.
The indictment is described as “merely an allegation by a grand jury that a defendant has committed a violation of federal criminal law and is not evidence of guilt.” The statement continues: “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 prosecution falls under Operation Take Back America, described as “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.” The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Florida serves as one of ninety-four offices directing litigation under guidance from the Attorney General.
The U.S. Attorney for the Northern District covers twenty-three counties including Tallahassee and operates out of courthouses in Tallahassee, Pensacola, and Gainesville; it enforces federal laws, defends national security interests, and protects civil rights and public funds while collaborating with law enforcement agencies through initiatives such as Project Safe Childhood and others across northern Florida, according to its official website.