Gainesville Man Sentenced to Prison for Drug Distribution and Illegal Weapons Charges (DOJ)

Gainesville, Florida - Khalil Keari Barnett, 30, of Gainesville, Florida, was sentenced to seven years in prison after previously pleading guilty to possession with intent to distribute marijuana, possession of a firearm in connection with drug trafficking, and unlawful possession of a firearm and ammunition. 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 investigative work of the Alachua County Sheriff's Office and our federal law enforcement partners, another violent, drug-peddling criminal has been removed from our streets. Operation Take Back America was launched to deploy the full might of the Department of Justice toward eliminating the threats to our communities posed by violent criminals like this defendant, and my office will continue to aggressively prosecute those offenders until our streets are safe and drug-free."

Court documents reflect that Alachua County Sheriff's Office deputies responded to a domestic violence call for service. When law enforcement arrived on scene, the defendant left out the back door of the residence and attempted to enter a rideshare vehicle before fleeing on foot. As the defendant was fleeing, he threw a bag from his person, which included 600 grams of marijuana and a black mask. A firearm and box of ammunition were also recovered near the defendant. The defendant is prohibited from possessing a firearm or ammunition as he has a prior conviction for possession of a weapon by a delinquent.

Alachua County Sheriff Scott said: "The arrest and subsequent federal conviction of Mr. Barnett is, once again, strong evidence to our community that we will not allow violent criminals who inflict physical harm, unlawfully possess weapons, and traffic narcotics to roam our streets in search of their next victim. As your Sheriff, I stood before this community and made a commitment to keep you safe while you enjoy all that Alachua County has to offer. It is through partnerships like our relationship with the US Attorney's Office, along with our federal law enforcement partners, that we are able to uphold that promise."

The conviction and sentence were the result of a joint investigation by the Alachua County Sheriff's Office, the Drug Enforcement Administration, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. Assistant United States Attorney Christie S. Utt prosecuted the case.

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.