Marion County Drug Trafficker Pleads Guilty

Pensacola, Florida - Frederick Donnell McLean Jr., 39, of Citrus Springs, Florida, pleaded guilty in federal court to one count of possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine, cocaine and fentanyl. The plea was announced by John P. Heekin, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida.

U.S. Attorney Heekin said: "This is yet another successful prosecution under the Department of Justice's Operation Take Back America, which devotes our substantial prosecutorial might toward eradicating drug trafficking from our communities to deliver the safe, drug-free streets our citizens deserve. We will continue sending drug traffickers like this defendant to federal prison until they realize the Northern District of Florida has zero-tolerance for criminality."

On April 28, 2024, the defendant was traveling from Marion County to Okaloosa County with a supply of methamphetamine, cocaine, and fentanyl. The vehicle was stopped by Florida Highway Patrol in Okaloosa County, and a subsequent search revealed 890 grams of methamphetamine, 27.9 grams of cocaine, and 28.2 grams of fentanyl.

The defendant faces at least 25 years' imprisonment, and up to life imprisonment.

The case involved a joint investigation by the Okaloosa County Sheriff's Office, the Florida Highway Patrol, and the Drug Enforcement Administration, with assistance from the Gulf Coast High Intensity Drug Trafficking Areas (HIDTA). The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Jeffrey M. Tharp.

Sentencing is scheduled for July 16, 2026, in Pensacola, Florida before United States District Judge T. Kent Wetherell, II.

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 for the Northern District of Florida, visit https://www.justice.gov/usao-ndfl.