Jason R. Coody, U.S. Attorney | U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Florida
A federal grand jury has indicted Scott D. Oranje, 52, of Mary Ester, Florida, on charges including possession with intent to distribute fentanyl, possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking offense, and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. The announcement was made by John P. Heekin, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida.
Oranje appeared for arraignment before United States Magistrate Judge Zachary C. Bolitho in Pensacola. His jury trial is set for March 2, 2026, at 8:30 am before District Court Judge M. Casey Rodgers.
If found guilty, Oranje could face between five and forty years in prison for the fentanyl distribution charge. The firearms-related charges carry penalties ranging from five years to life imprisonment and up to fifteen years for being a felon in possession of a firearm.
The investigation was conducted jointly by the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Okaloosa County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant United States Attorney Christopher C. Patterson is prosecuting the case.
Authorities emphasized that an indictment is not evidence of guilt. "An indictment is merely an allegation by a grand jury that a defendant has committed a violation of federal criminal law and is not evidence of guilt. All defendants are presumed innocent and entitled to a fair trial, during which it will be the government’s burden to prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt at trial."
This prosecution falls under Operation Take Back America, an initiative that brings together Department of Justice resources to address illegal immigration, dismantle cartels and transnational criminal organizations, and protect communities from violent crime as well as human and drug trafficking.
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 this office can be found at https://www.justice.gov/usao-ndfl.
