PENSACOLA MAN SENTENCED TO 17 YEARS IN FEDERAL PRISON FOR FIREARMS AND NARCOTICS OFFENSES (DOJ)

PENSACOLA, FLORIDA - Malcolm Terrell Louis, 40, of Pensacola, was sentenced to 17 years in federal prison after previously pleading guilty to two counts of possession with intent to distribute 5 grams of more of methamphetamine, cocaine, and marijuana, two counts of possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking offense, and two counts of possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. The sentence was announced by John P. Heekin, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida.

U.S. Attorney Heekin said: "Thanks to the outstanding work of the Escambia County Sheriff's Office and our federal law enforcement partners, my office was able to deliver this successful prosecution to keep drugs and this dangerous criminal off our streets. This is yet another win for Operation Take Back America, fulfilling the promise made by President Donald J. Trump and Attorney General Pam Bondi to unleash the full power of the Department of Justice to incapacitate the violent drug traffickers and career criminals who have terrorized our streets for far too long."

According to court records, on December 17, 2024, law enforcement observed a parked vehicle outside a housing complex in Pensacola with the engine running and no one inside. Multiple bags of narcotics including methamphetamine, cocaine, and marijuana, cell phones, and a Glock handgun were observed inside the vehicle. The cell phone was later identified as belonging to the defendant and his fingerprints were on one of the bags of narcotics. The methamphetamine weighed over 50 grams. On March 7, 2025, law enforcement executed a search warrant at a residence in Pensacola that was occupied by the defendant and others. Investigators located multiple firearms, ammunition, and multiple bags of narcotics, including methamphetamine, cocaine, fentanyl, and marijuana. The methamphetamine weighed over 25 grams. The defendant is a multi-time convicted felon, who was released from state prison in 2024 after a five-year sentence.

The conviction and sentence were the result of a joint investigation by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives and the Escambia County Sheriff's Office. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Jessica Etherton.

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, human and drug trafficking.

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.