Nassau County Repeat Offender Pleads Guilty To Firearm And Drug Offenses

Jacksonville, Florida - United States Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe announces that Samuel Walter Perkins, Jr. (46, Fernandina Beach) today pleaded guilty to possession of a firearm as a convicted felon and distribution of cocaine and cocaine base (commonly known as crack cocaine). Perkins faces a minimum penalty of 15 years, up to life, in federal prison. A sentencing date has not yet been set.

According to the plea agreement, in late 2024, Perkins twice sold crack cocaine to a confidential informant in Nassau County. After detectives from the Nassau County Sheriff's Office confronted Perkins about these two drug sales, Perkins agreed to work with them as a confidential informant himself. Before taking on that role, Perkins was specifically instructed that he could not engage in illegal activities, could not possess firearms, and would never be tasked "to create crime," but instead should be "only working to interrupt ongoing criminal activity."

Ostensibly, in his role as a confidential informant, on January 29, 2025, Perkins provided a tip to his law enforcement handler about two individuals traveling to Jacksonville to meet with an unknown subject to obtain drugs and guns. Later that day, without telling Perkins, the detectives followed up on that lead by surveilling the two targets named by Perkins. Following those individuals, the detectives saw them drive from Nassau County to Jacksonville where the pair met with only one person-Perkins-who gave the two men a black bag, which they put in the truck of their car. During a subsequent stop and search of that car, detectives located the bag, which contained a loaded 9mm pistol, cocaine, and cocaine base.

Detectives later interviewed Perkins about these events. After a detective explained what they had seen while conducting surveillance, Perkins asked, "So they got it from me?" - referring to the firearm and drugs in the black bag. The detective replied, "They got it from you." Realizing that he was caught, Perkins then stated, "Well, I tried, man." Asked where he obtained the gun, Perkins stated, "I just had a gun."

Perkins is a multi-time convicted felon who previously has been prosecuted by both state and federal authorities for a variety of drug offenses. As such, he is prohibited from possessing firearms under federal law.

This case was investigated by the Nassau County Sheriff's Office, the Drug Enforcement Administration, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Michael J. Coolican.

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. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department's Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN).