Malcolm Jewell Williams, a 39-year-old resident of Jacksonville, has been sentenced to 11 years and 3 months in federal prison for possessing a firearm as a convicted felon and for possessing cocaine. The sentence was handed down by Chief U.S. District Judge Marcia Morales Howard. Williams was also ordered to forfeit the firearm involved in the case. He was found guilty by a jury on July 25, 2025.
U.S. Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe announced the sentencing, stating that Williams had previously been convicted of 16 felonies and two misdemeanor crimes related to domestic violence, all of which made it illegal under federal law for him to possess firearms.
Court documents detail that on January 23, 2024, an undercover detective from the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office met Williams at a gas station parking lot where Williams agreed to sell "molly" (a street name for MDMA) to the detective. After completing the sale, Williams fled from officers across a four-lane highway before being apprehended near a palm tree where police found a loaded firearm at its base. Officers also discovered cocaine and a drug scale with residue in his possession.
After being transported to Duval County Jail, Williams escaped from his restraints and fled through downtown Jacksonville but was recaptured by police shortly after. At the time of this incident, he was out on bond following an arrest four months earlier by Camden County (Georgia) Sheriff’s Office for possessing half a pound of methamphetamine.
The investigation involved multiple agencies including the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office; Drug Enforcement Administration; Camden County (Georgia) Sheriff’s Office; and Georgia Bureau of Investigation. Assistant United States Attorneys Laura Cofer Taylor and Kelli Swaney prosecuted the case.
According to officials, this prosecution is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), an initiative aimed at reducing violent crime and gun violence through collaboration among law enforcement agencies and community organizations. In May 2021, the Department launched an updated strategy focusing on building trust within communities, supporting local organizations that prevent violence, setting targeted enforcement priorities, and evaluating outcomes.
