Pensacola Felon Indicted for Gun & Drug Possession

Pensacola, Florida - Joseph Jerome Reynolds, Jr., 31, has been indicted in federal court for one count of possession of a firearm by a convicted felon and two counts of possession of a controlled substance. John P. Heekin, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida announced the charges.

Reynolds, Jr. appeared in federal court for his arraignment before United States Magistrate Judge Zachary C. Bolitho in Pensacola, Florida. Jury trial is scheduled for July 6, 2026, in Pensacola, Florida before United States District Court Judge M. Casey Rodgers.

Reynolds, Jr. faces a maximum of 15 years' imprisonment if convicted of possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, and up to three years' imprisonment for each count of possession of a controlled substance.

The case is being jointly investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives and the Escambia County Sheriff's Office. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Jessica S. Etherton.

An indictment is merely an allegation by a grand jury that a defendant has committed a violation of federal criminal law and is not evidence of guilt. All defendants are presumed innocent and entitled to a fair trial, during which it will be the government's burden to prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt at trial.

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.