Jason R. Coody, U.S. Attorney | U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Florida
Jermaine Z. Lewis, a 32-year-old resident of Pensacola, Florida, has been sentenced to 10 years in federal prison for conspiracy to distribute and possession with intent to distribute over 400 grams of fentanyl, as well as possession with intent to distribute fentanyl, methamphetamine, cocaine, and heroin. He was also convicted for possessing a firearm as a convicted felon. The sentencing was announced by John P. Heekin, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida.
U.S. Attorney Heekin stated: “My office will continue to use the full force of the law to aggressively prosecute anyone who floods our streets with deadly drugs, as this defendant has come to find out. The Homeland Security Task Force initiative launched by President Donald J. Trump and Attorney General Pam Bondi is committed to eliminating drug trafficking operations anywhere they are found in the U.S., and the tenacious prosecutors in my office will see to it that the residents of the Northern District of Florida will have the safe, drug-free communities they deserve where they can live, work, and raise a family.”
According to court documents, Lewis distributed fentanyl in Pensacola during January and February 2025. Authorities intercepted a mailed package intended for Lewis that contained about four pounds of fentanyl pills. Following this discovery, law enforcement obtained a search warrant for his residence in March 2025 and seized two loaded firearms along with quantities of cocaine, methamphetamine, heroin, and fentanyl. Receipts for wire transfers sent to Mexico were also found at his home. Lewis had previously been convicted on state felony charges.
DEA Miami Field Division Special Agent in Charge Deanne Reuter commented: “This defendant wasn't just selling drugs—he was trafficking lethal fentanyl, stockpiling guns, and sending cartel money south. That ends today,” said DEA Miami Field Division Special Agent in Charge Deanne Reuter. “When you threaten the safety of Florida families, DEA and our law enforcement partners will meet you at your doorstep and bring your operation to a hard stop."
The investigation involved cooperation between several agencies: the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), United States Postal Inspection Service (USPIS), Escambia County Sheriff’s Office, Pensacola Police Department, and Florida Highway Patrol. Assistant United States Attorneys David L. Goldberg and Jessica S. Etherton prosecuted the case.
This prosecution falls under the Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) initiative established by Executive Order 14159: Protecting the American People Against Invasion. The HSTF brings together various government agencies in an effort aimed at dismantling criminal cartels and transnational organizations operating both domestically and internationally.
The United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Florida is one of 94 offices serving as principal litigators under direction from the Attorney General. Additional information about public court documents can be accessed through the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Florida website. Further details about this office are available at http://www.justice.gov/usao/fln/index.html.
