Jason R. Coody, U.S. Attorney | U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Florida
Gregory E. Simonds Jr., a 42-year-old resident of Pensacola, has been indicted on federal charges related to arson involving the use of an explosive device at a building located at 792 Beal Parkway in Fort Walton Beach. The incident also resulted in personal injury, according to John P. Heekin, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida.
Simonds is scheduled for his initial court appearance before United States Magistrate Judge Hope Thai Cannon on August 27, 2025, at the United States Courthouse in Pensacola.
If found guilty, Simonds could face a mandatory minimum sentence of seven years and up to forty years in prison.
The indictment follows a joint investigation by the Okaloosa County Sheriff’s Office and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives. The Florida Department of Law Enforcement provided additional support. Assistant United States Attorney Alicia H. Forbes is prosecuting the case.
"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," stated officials.
This prosecution falls under Operation Take Back America (https://www.justice.gov/dag/media/1393746/dl?inline ), which coordinates Department of Justice resources nationwide to address illegal immigration, dismantle cartels and transnational criminal organizations, and combat violent crime through collaboration with initiatives like Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).
The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Florida serves as one of 94 offices responsible for federal litigation under the Attorney General's direction. More information about public court documents can be found at the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Florida website, and further details about the office are available at http://www.justice.gov/usao/fln/index.html.
