Tallahassee Man Sentenced To 20 Years In Federal Prison For Gun And Drug-Trafficking Charges

TALLAHASSEE, FLORIDA – Jason R. Coody, Acting United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida, announced the sentencing of Rocky M. Thomas, 44, of Tallahassee, Florida. Thomas was sentenced to twenty years in federal prison followed by six years of supervised release. Thomas’s sentence was the result of his guilty plea to possession of a firearm and ammunition by a convicted felon, possession with intent to distribute cocaine and alpha-PVP, and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime.

“This case is another example of the success that can be achieved through collaboration between our local and federal law enforcement agencies,” stated Acting U.S. Attorney Coody.  “As a result of the excellent relationship between the Tallahassee Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, this armed drug trafficker has been held accountable for his criminal conduct, and the community is safer as a result.”

According to court documents, Thomas was stopped on May 2, 2021, by an officer of the Tallahassee Police Department for running a red light. Thomas was subsequently detained because a small amount of marijuana was in plain view in his vehicle. A fanny pack which Thomas was wearing was searched and found to contain a loaded semiautomatic Glock firearm and approximately 75 small jeweler’s baggies filled with white powder. Some of the baggies of white powder contained cocaine and some contained alpha-PVP, a synthetic cathinone also known as “flakka.” Officers also found two digital scales and various empty baggies in the vehicle.

“ATF is at the forefront in fighting violent crimes and apprehending the criminals involved. This case is another example of our resolve to continue these efforts as we work jointly with our local, state and federal partners to ensure the safety of our communities.” said ATF Special Agent in Charge, Craig W. Saier.

Thomas had previously been convicted of multiple felonies and qualified for enhanced sentencing as an Armed Career Criminal and a Career Offender because of prior convictions for armed robbery with a deadly weapon, robbery, and possession of a controlled substance with intent to sell or deliver.

Assistant United States Attorney James A. McCain prosecuted the case, which was the result of a joint investigation between the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives and the Tallahassee Police Department.

Court records reflect that the firearm Thomas was caught with had previously been reported stolen. 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.

This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders works together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime. In Tallahassee, the Sheriff’s ALLinLEON initiative has focused on enforcement, and engaged community volunteers to regularly take at-risk youth to places of worship, activated Neighborhood Crime Watch programs, and conducted other activities to target neighborhoods that are perennial hotspots for violence. The effort also aims to help connect individuals who are reentering the community from incarceration with education, job skills and substance abuse treatment.

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.