Panama City Beach felon sentenced on gun and drug charges (DOJ)

Tallahassee, Florida - Joseph Primus Gainer, 44, of Panama City Beach, Florida, has been sentenced to six and a half years' imprisonment following his guilty plea in federal court on charges of possession with intent to distribute fentanyl and marijuana, and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. John P. Heekin, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida announced the sentence.

U.S. Attorney Heekin said: "My office is fortunate to have some of the finest law enforcement partners in the country who are committed to aggressively pursuing the peddlers of deadly drugs who flood our streets with poison. Thanks to the excellent investigative work of our state and federal partners, this repeat offender is on his way to federal prison where he belongs. Our citizens deserve to live in safe, drug-free communities, and my office is committed to delivering that through continued successful prosecutions like this."

Court records reflect that pursuant to a joint law enforcement investigation of the defendant, a search warrant was executed on the defendant's Panama City residence. During the search, law enforcement located and seized fentanyl tablets, marijuana, drug paraphernalia, and a loaded Taurus 9-millimeter handgun. The defendant has multiple prior felony convictions dating back to 2005, including felon in possession of a firearm and possession of controlled substances, and was legally prohibited from possessing firearms or ammunition.

"When you're pushing poison into our communities, you can expect us to push back. This case is a testament to the strength of our local and federal law enforcement partnerships and our commitment to holding repeat offenders accountable," said Panama City Beach Police Chief Eusebio Talamentez Jr. Our message is simple: You can push poison on our streets, but we'll push for prison time. And as this case proves, we intend to deliver."

The case was jointly investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Bay County Sheriff's Office, the Panama City Beach Police Department, and the Panama City Police Department. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Eric K. Mountin.

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 FloridaLinks to other government and non-government sites will typically appear with the "external link" icon to indicate that you are leaving the Department of Justice website when you click the link. website. For more information about the United States Attorney's Office, Northern District of Florida, visit https://www.justice.gov/usao-ndfl.