Jason R. Coody, U.S. Attorney | U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Florida
Malik Ray, a 28-year-old resident of Tallahassee, Florida, has been sentenced to eight years and two months in federal prison after pleading guilty to possession of a firearm by a convicted felon and possession with intent to distribute marijuana. The sentencing was announced by John P. Heekin, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida.
U.S. Attorney Heekin stated: “Operation Take Back America is a promise by President Donald J. Trump and Attorney General Pam Bondi to deploy our law enforcement resources to protect our communities from the threats posed by drug traffickers and violent criminals, and this successful prosecution delivers on that promise by sending this defendant straight to federal prison for an extended stay behind bars.”
According to court documents, officers from Florida Probation and Parole and the Tallahassee Police Department searched Ray’s residence on October 22, 2024, as part of his probation terms. During the search, they found an AR-style pistol, more than five pounds of marijuana, and additional evidence related to drug distribution. Further investigation determined that Ray had been distributing marijuana since at least March 2024.
The investigation was conducted jointly by the Tallahassee Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF), with support from the Florida Department of Corrections’ Office of Community Corrections, Circuit Two. Assistant United States Attorney Eric Welch prosecuted the case.
This prosecution falls under Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative led by the Department of Justice aimed at combating illegal immigration, dismantling cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and addressing violent crime in communities.
The United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Florida is one of 94 offices across the country serving as principal litigators under the direction of the Attorney General. Public court documents can be accessed through the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Florida website. More information about the office is available at http://www.justice.gov/usao/fln/index.html.
