Pensacola, Florida – Travis W. Carroll, 26, of Pensacola, Florida, was sentenced to five and a half years in federal prison for possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine, possession of a firearm or ammunition by a convicted felon, and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking offense. The sentence was announced by John P. Heekin, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida.
U.S. Attorney Heekin said: “Keeping dangerous, violent felons off our streets is absolutely imperative, and thanks to the excellent investigative work by the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office and our federal law enforcement partners, that is exactly what we have accomplished in this case. We will continue to aggressively prosecute these cases to deliver the safe, crime-free streets that our citizens deserve.”
Court documents reflect that law enforcement received reports of an armed robbery at the Beacon Food Store in Pensacola, Florida. Law enforcement responded to the scene and observed the defendant, who matched the description given of the armed robbery suspect, riding an electric bicycle nearby. The defendant, who is a convicted felon legally prohibited from possessing firearms, ran a stop sign and was pulled over. During the contact with the defendant, law enforcement located a loaded firearm, methamphetamine, a scale, and more than $600.00 in U.S. Currency on his person.
The case involved an investigation by the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Chris Patterson and Thomas S.P. Geeker.
Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) is the Department of Justice’s nationwide initiative that brings federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement, prosecutors, and other public safety partners together to coordinate efforts to combat violent crime and make communities safe. Coordinated by U.S. Attorneys’ offices in each of the 94 federal districts, PSN is tailored to particular communities to strategically address specific violent crime and public safety challenges. As a key component of Operation Take Back America, PSN serves a central role in the Department’s commitment to make our country safe. PSN emphasizes three core principles: rapid federal response to violent crime and criminal offenders; strong, strategic partnerships among law enforcement at all levels; and accountability and deterrence through the prosecution of the most serious, readily provable offenses and other strategies. These efforts complement and strengthen President Trump’s Homeland Security Task Forces, ensuring a comprehensive federal response to the most pressing public safety issues facing communities .
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 https://www.justice.gov/usao-ndfl .
Source: U.S. Attorney’s Office — Northern District of Florida — U.S. Department of Justice press release.