Orlando business owner sentenced to 6 years in federal prison for illegally possessing an arsenal of firearms (DOJ)

Orlando, Florida - Maxwell David Horvath (37, Orlando) has been sentenced by U.S. District Judge Gregory A. Presnell to six years in federal prison for possessing a firearm as a convicted felon. The court also ordered Horvath to forfeit 38 firearms, including silencers, short-barreled rifles, machineguns, and thousands of rounds of ammunition. Horvath pleaded guilty on March 4, 2026. U.S. Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe made the announcement.

According to court documents, following a federal conviction for possession with intent to distribute controlled substances in January 2019, Horvath opened a business in Palm Bay selling a controlled substance and possessed firearms and thousands of rounds of ammunition. In June 2025, the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Brevard County Sheriff's Office opened an investigation into Horvath. The investigation revealed that Horvath's business, Overseas Organix, Inc., was marketing and selling products containing 7-OH, which is classified as a Schedule I controlled substance in Florida. Horvath was involved in two undercover law enforcement purchases occurring at Overseas Organix, Inc.

During a search of Overseas Organix, Inc. on December 3, 2025, law enforcement located 38 firearms and thousands of rounds of ammunition which included handguns, rifles, shotguns, silencers, machine guns, automatic firearms, and short-barreled rifles. As a previously convicted felon Horvath is prohibited from possessing firearms under federal law. Officers also seized more than 91,000 pounds of kratom (a precursor to 7-OH), kilogram quantities of 7-OH powder, and thousands of pressed 7- OH pills ready for sale.

This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Drug Enforcement Administration, and the Brevard County Sheriff's Office. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Stephanie A. McNeff.

This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), 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.