Robert Edward Nixon, a 60-year-old resident of Quincy, Florida, was indicted by a federal grand jury on May 11 for possession of a firearm and ammunition by a convicted felon, according to an announcement from John P. Heekin, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida.
Nixon appeared before United States Magistrate Judge Martin A. Fitzpatrick in Tallahassee for his arraignment. His jury trial is scheduled to begin on June 23 at the U.S. District Court in Tallahassee before Chief District Court Judge Allen C. Winsor.
If found guilty, Nixon could face up to 15 years in prison. The investigation involved cooperation between the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; the Florida Department of Law Enforcement; and the State Attorney’s Office for the Second Judicial Circuit. Assistant United States Attorney Christie S. Utt is prosecuting the case.
The press release emphasized that "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." It continued: "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, described as "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." The U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Florida enforces federal laws and protects civil rights across northern Florida through collaborations with other agencies such as Project Safe Childhood and serves 23 counties including Tallahassee and parts of the Panhandle region according to its official website.
The office operates from courthouses in Tallahassee, Pensacola, and Gainesville as part of its mission within the United States Department of Justice according to its official website.
