Tampa, Florida – United States Attorney Maria Chapa Lopez announces that a federal jury today found Ahman Walton (40, Tampa) guilty of conspiring to distribute cocaine and heroin, and distributing 100 grams or more of heroin. Walton faces a maximum penalty of 40 years in federal prison. His sentencing hearing has not yet been scheduled.
Walton had been indicted on July 11, 2019.
According to testimony and evidence presented at trial, Walton was responsible for bringing cocaine into Florida from the Bahamas. In addition, in September 2018, he helped his co-conspirator procure a quarter kilogram of heroin of for nearly $20,000.
This case was investigated by the Tampa Police Department, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Florida Department of Law Enforcement, and the Drug Enforcement Administration. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Natalie Adams and Gregory T. Nolan.
This case is the result of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) investigation and was prosecuted as part of the Department of Justice’s “Project Safe Neighborhoods” Program (PSN), which is a nationwide, crime reduction strategy aimed at decreasing violent crime in communities. It involves a comprehensive approach to public safety — one that includes investigating and prosecuting crimes, along with prevention and reentry efforts. In the Middle District of Florida, U.S. Attorney Maria Chapa Lopez coordinates PSN efforts in cooperation with various federal, state, and local law enforcement officials.