Jason R. Coody, U.S. Attorney | U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Florida
Alex Cornelius Smith, a 47-year-old resident of Madison, Florida, has been indicted on two federal counts of distributing methamphetamine. The announcement was made by John P. Heekin, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida.
Smith appeared for arraignment before United States Magistrate Judge Martin A. Fitzpatrick on September 5, 2025, in Tallahassee. His jury trial is scheduled for October 27, 2025, at 8:30 am before District Court Judge Mark E. Walker.
If convicted, Smith could face a mandatory minimum sentence of ten years in prison and up to life imprisonment.
The investigation was conducted by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations along with the Madison County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant United States Attorneys Harley W. Ferguson and Eric W. Welch are prosecuting the case.
An indictment is an allegation made by a grand jury that a defendant has violated federal criminal law; it is not evidence of guilt. All defendants are presumed innocent and have the right to a fair trial where the government must prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.
This prosecution falls under Operation Take Back America (https://www.justice.gov/dag/media/1393746/dl?inline), a national initiative led by the Department of Justice to combat illegal immigration, dismantle cartels and transnational criminal organizations, and protect communities from violent crime. The operation brings together resources from programs such as the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).
The United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Florida is one of 94 offices serving as principal litigators under the direction of the Attorney General. More information about public court documents can be found at the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Florida website or at http://www.justice.gov/usao/fln/index.html.
