Pensacola Man Sentenced to Federal Prison for Threatening a Pensacola Police Department Detective (DOJ)

Pensacola, Florida - Tamal W. Jenkins, 20, of Pensacola, Florida, was sentenced to 20 months in federal prison for interstate threatening communication with intent to extort. The sentence was announced by John P. Heekin, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida.

U.S. Attorney Heekin said: "My office stands shoulder-to-shoulder with the brave men and women of law enforcement who are on the front lines in the fight against crime. They deserve our gratitude and respect for placing themselves in harm's way every day to keep our communities safe. As this case demonstrates, anyone who harms or threatens to harm a law enforcement officer will be aggressively prosecuted by my office and held accountable."

Court documents reveal that, in July 2025, the Pensacola Police Department arrested suspects during a homicide investigation. Within days of the arrest, one of the responsible Pensacola Police Detectives received an electronic text message threatening to kill the Detective if she did not release the suspects who are now facing homicide charges. Through legal process and electronic investigative techniques, law enforcement identified Jenkins as the person who made the threat against the Detective for acting in the course of her official duties.

Jenkins imprisonment will be followed by three years of federal supervised release. Jenkins also faces a violation of prior state-ordered probation for firearm and drug offenses.

Pensacola Police Chief Eric Winstrom said: "Threats of violence against those upholding the law cannot be tolerated. The Pensacola Police Department is grateful to our federal partners for recognizing the gravity of this incident and ensuring Mr. Jenkins is held accountable."

The case involved a joint investigation by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives and the Pensacola Police Department. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney David L. Goldberg.

This case is part of Operation Take Back America, 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 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.