Wesley Anderson, a 46-year-old resident of Lakeland, Florida, has been sentenced to 18 years in federal prison for possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine. The sentence was handed down by U.S. District Judge Kathryn Mizelle following Anderson's guilty plea on August 20, 2025. The announcement was made by U.S. Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe.
According to court documents, Anderson was arrested on January 4, 2024, outside a hotel in Lakeland due to an unrelated warrant. After the arrest, the hotel manager requested that officers clear Anderson’s room. Inside the room, officers found a customer waiting to purchase narcotics from Anderson and discovered a backpack containing more than 1,300 grams of methamphetamine.
The investigation was conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Lakeland Police Department. Assistant United States Attorney Michael R. Kenneth prosecuted the case.
“This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN),” according to the press release.
