Frederick Donnell McLean Jr., 39, of Citrus Springs, Florida, pleaded guilty on May 8 to one count of possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine, cocaine, and fentanyl. The announcement was made by John P. Heekin, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida.
The case highlights ongoing efforts by federal authorities to combat drug trafficking in northern Florida. McLean was apprehended while traveling from Marion County to Okaloosa County with a supply of illegal drugs. Law enforcement stopped his vehicle in Okaloosa County and found 890 grams of methamphetamine, 27.9 grams of cocaine, and 28.2 grams of fentanyl during a search.
U.S. Attorney Heekin said: “This is yet another successful prosecution under the Department of Justice’s Operation Take Back America, which devotes our substantial prosecutorial might toward eradicating drug trafficking from our communities to deliver the safe, drug-free streets our citizens deserve. We will continue sending drug traffickers like this defendant to federal prison until they realize the Northern District of Florida has zero-tolerance for criminality.”
McLean faces a minimum sentence of 25 years in prison and could receive up to life imprisonment for his offense. Sentencing is scheduled for July 16 in Pensacola before United States District Judge T. Kent Wetherell II.
The investigation involved cooperation between the Okaloosa County Sheriff’s Office, the Florida Highway Patrol, and the Drug Enforcement Administration with assistance from Gulf Coast High Intensity Drug Trafficking Areas (HIDTA). Assistant United States Attorney Jeffrey M. Tharp is prosecuting the case.
The U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Florida enforces federal laws and protects civil rights in northern Florida; it prosecutes criminal violations and handles civil litigation on behalf of the United States while serving 23 counties including Tallahassee and the Panhandle region through facilities located at courthouses in Tallahassee, Pensacola and Gainesville according to its official website.
