James Wallace Mathis, Jr., a 44-year-old resident of Fort Myers, has been sentenced to five years in federal prison. U.S. District Judge Thomas Barber delivered the sentence following Mathis's guilty plea on October 30, 2024. The charges included possession of a firearm as a convicted felon and distribution of controlled substances.

Court records reveal that during July and August 2024, Mathis engaged in drug sales involving fentanyl and cocaine with both a law enforcement informant and an undercover ATF agent. Additionally, in July 2024, he sold a loaded Ruger handgun to an informant. As a multi-time convicted felon, Mathis is legally barred from possessing firearms or ammunition under federal law.

This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), which aims to reduce violent crime and gun violence through collaboration between law enforcement agencies and communities. The Department launched an enhanced violent crime reduction strategy for PSN on May 26, 2021. This strategy emphasizes building trust within communities, supporting violence prevention organizations, setting strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring outcomes.

The investigation was conducted by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), the Fort Myers Police Department, and the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA). Assistant United States Attorney Simon R. Eth prosecuted the case.