Marcellous Likely-McWilliams III, a 27-year-old resident of Pensacola, Florida, was indicted on May 6 for multiple federal offenses related to drugs and firearms, according to an announcement by John P. Heekin, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida.
The indictment charges Likely-McWilliams with possession with intent to distribute marijuana, possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. These allegations are part of ongoing efforts to address violent crime and illegal activities in the region.
Likely-McWilliams appeared before United States Magistrate Judge Hope T. Cannon at the United States Courthouse in Pensacola for his initial appearance. His trial is scheduled for June 22 before District Court Judge M. Casey Rodgers. If convicted, he faces up to 20 years’ imprisonment on the drug charge; a minimum mandatory sentence of five years up to life imprisonment on the gun charge related to drug trafficking; and up to fifteen years’ imprisonment as a felon in possession of a firearm.
The case is being investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives along with the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant United States Attorney Brooke A. DiSalvo is prosecuting the case.
Heekin said: "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." The prosecution falls under Operation Take Back America—a national initiative aimed at countering illegal immigration, dismantling cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protecting communities from violent crime perpetrators.
The U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Florida enforces federal laws and protects civil rights across northern Florida while collaborating with various law enforcement agencies through initiatives such as Project Safe Childhood and serving as part of the Department of Justice according to its official website.
