PENSACOLA, FLORIDA – Guy Anthony Folta of Fort Walton Beach, Florida, was sentenced to serve 15 years in federal prison after pleading guilty to possession with intent to distribute over 50 grams of methamphetamine, heroin, and cocaine, possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, and possession of a firearm and ammunition by a convicted felon. Lawrence Keefe, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida, announced the sentence.
“Drugs and a weapon in the hands of a convicted felon is a menacing and potentially deadly combination, and the United States Attorney’s Office is committed to making sure such dangerous criminals are sentenced appropriately,” said U.S. Attorney Keefe. “Our law enforcement partners in Okaloosa County did an outstanding job in helping us bring Folta to justice.”
Folta, 49, was arrested on outstanding arrest warrants last June 29 by deputies from the Okaloosa County Sheriff’s Office. Following the arrest, deputies looked inside the vehicle Folta was driving and observed the grip of a pistol. After determining that Folta was a convicted felon, deputies obtained a search warrant authorizing the search of the vehicle, where they discovered a loaded stolen Glock 9 mm pistol with an obliterated serial number and 45 rounds of ammunition. Deputies also found 152 grams of methamphetamine packaged in five separate baggies, 10 grams of cocaine base, 21 grams of cocaine, 22 grams of heroin, and a digital scale.
“Our region should take notice of this case,” said Okaloosa County Sheriff Eric Aden. “This is a significant arrest and significant sentence for a man with a lengthy criminal record who was back out peddling poison to our citizens. But due to the ongoing joint efforts of our deputies and federal partners, Folta will now be off the streets for the next 15 years, making our region safer from the dangerous impacts of heroin, methamphetamine, and cocaine.”
The December 28 sentencing resulted from a joint investigation by the Okaloosa County Sheriff’s Office, the Drug Enforcement Administration, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney J. Ryan Love.
