Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives

PENSACOLA, FLORIDA – Jason R. Coody, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida, announced today the sentences of six defendants who were indicted in multiple cases and convicted for their participation in a drug trafficking ring previously active in Escambia County, Florida.  The prosecutions were the result of a large-scale multi-agency investigation spearheaded by the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office, the Drug Enforcement Administration, and the United States Postal Inspection Service. 

“Our local, state, and federal law enforcement partners work tirelessly to keep us safe by removing addictive and deadly controlled substances from our communities,” said U.S. Attorney Coody. “We remain committed to support their efforts through the investigation and prosecution of criminals bringing drugs into North Florida. The imposed sentences illustrate the significant consequences of harming our citizens through their illicit drug trafficking activities.”

“We are proud of the combined efforts of our federal, state, and local partners,” said Escambia County Sheriff Chip Simmons. “This successful investigation will have a lasting impact on the availability of dangerous drugs in our area. Our commitment to safe communities remains strong.”

From November 2021 through March 2023, law enforcement seized over 26 kilograms of methamphetamine, over a kilogram of cocaine, over 1300 grams of fentanyl, multiple pounds of marijuana, a quantity of heroin, and 12 firearms. 

As a result of the joint investigation, the following defendants were convicted on drug trafficking charges and/or firearm offenses, and have been sentenced to the following in federal court:

• Brandon M. Anderson, 32, of Pensacola, Florida, 20 years in prison
• Oddie A. Mims, 35, of Pensacola, Florida, 12 years in prison
• Ackrulmauert P. Mims, 30, of Pensacola, Florida, 12 years in prison
• Keontre M. Dortch, 30, of Pensacola, Florida, 10 years in prison
• William Contreras, 27, of Pensacola, Florida, 7 years in prison
• Bryant Lee Williams, 43, of Pensacola, Florida, 5 years in prison

Each will also be required to serve a term of supervised release following their prison sentence.

“Addictive, destructive, and oftentimes deadly, illegal drugs like fentanyl, methamphetamine, cocaine, and heroin can destroy families and ruin communities,” said DEA Miami Field Division Special Agent in Charge Deanne Reuter. “Strong partnerships between local, state, and federal law enforcement agencies are vital to keeping Florida communities safe and healthy, and DEA remains committed to working with our partners to hold those who distribute this poison in our communities responsible for their actions.”

“I commend our law enforcement partners for their exceptional investigative efforts which led to the apprehension of several drug dealers and the seizure of firearms and dangerous illicit drugs,” said Juan A. Vargas, Inspector in Charge, U.S. Postal Inspection Service, Miami Division.  “We will continue to identify every level of these criminal enterprises, dismantle them, and hold them accountable.”

These cases resulted from a joint investigation by the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office, the Drug Enforcement Administration, the United States Postal Inspection Service, the Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco, Explosives and Firearms, the Florida Department of Law Enforcement, the Pensacola Police Department, the Florida Highway Patrol, the Gulf Breeze Police Department, the Okaloosa County Sheriff’s Office, and the Santa Rosa County Sheriff’s Office.  The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney J. Ryan Love.

This effort is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF.

This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.

As part of its PSN strategy, the United States Attorney’s Office is encouraging everyone to lock their car doors, particularly at night. Burglaries from unlocked automobiles are a significant source of guns for criminals in the Northern District of Florida. Please do your part and protect yourself by locking your car doors.

The United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Florida is one of 94 offices that serve as the nation’s principal litigators under the direction of the Attorney General. To access public court documents online, please visit the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Florida website. For more information about the United States Attorney’s Office, Northern District of Florida, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/fln/index.html.

Contact
United States Attorney’s Office
Northern District of Florida
(850) 216-3845
libby.lastinger@usdoj.gov
X: @NDFLnews