Cedrick Deon Hawkins, a 43-year-old resident of Cocoa, Florida, has pleaded guilty to charges of possession with intent to distribute controlled substances and possession of a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking. The announcement was made by United States Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe. Hawkins faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years in federal prison, with the possibility of life imprisonment. Sentencing is scheduled for November 12, 2025.
As part of his plea agreement, Hawkins has agreed to forfeit firearms and ammunition that were seized from his residence during the investigation.
According to court documents, between October 2024 and February 2025, Hawkins sold methamphetamine and fentanyl to a confidential source. In April 2025, law enforcement executed a search warrant at his home in Cocoa. During the search, agents found additional quantities of methamphetamine and fentanyl along with materials used for processing drugs. They also discovered five firearms throughout the house: three rifles and a handgun in the master bedroom closet and a loaded pistol in a kitchen cabinet. Six more firearms and ammunition were located in a pickup truck parked on the property.
The case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) and Titusville Police Department, with assistance from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF). Assistant United States Attorney Megan Testerman is prosecuting the case.
"This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results," according to information provided by authorities.
