PENSACOLA, FLORIDA – Maurice Pearce Head, 38, of Fort Walton Beach, Florida, was sentenced to 25 years in federal prison after previously pleading guilty to conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine, fentanyl, and heroin. The sentence was announced by Jason R. Coody, U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Florida.
“Hundreds of individuals are killed every day in communities throughout our country due to the distribution of fentanyl,” said U.S. Attorney Coody. “Each of these deaths is a tragedy, robbing individuals of their promise and crippling families left behind with unimaginable grief. We remain committed to working with our law enforcement partners to identify and aggressively prosecute those who distribute these addictive, controlled substances. This sentence serves as a significant deterrent to drug traffickers and demonstrates our resolve to hold them accountable.”
Evidence introduced at the sentencing hearing established that Head conspired with others to distribute over 50 kilograms of methamphetamine and thousands of pills containing fentanyl in the Northern District of Florida and elsewhere. On June 8, 2021, Head was found in possession of over a kilogram of a mixture of drugs containing methamphetamine, fentanyl, and heroin, during a federal search warrant at a warehouse in Fort Walton Beach, Florida. Evidence introduced at the sentencing hearing also established that, while Head’s case was pending, he obstructed justice by attempting to offer to pay a witness $10,000 if that witness would agree not to testify against Head.
“Fentanyl remains the deadliest drug threat facing our communities. Last year, over 110,000 American lives were lost to drug poisonings, with a majority of these deaths due to a synthetic opioid like illicit fentanyl,” said DEA Miami Field Division Special Agent in Charge Deanne L. Reuter. “The DEA Miami Field Division remains committed to working with our law enforcement partners to aggressively pursue those who bring this poison into our Florida communities and to hold drug traffickers accountable for their crimes.”
“We all know fentanyl alone, and/or laced with other drugs, is deadly. People dealing these drugs simply don’t care. We must continue to work to educate the public, but law enforcement agencies and their partners like the U.S. Attorney’s Office know putting dealers behind bars and out of business is a critical component of the multi-pronged attempt to hold dealers accountable for their crimes and try to save lives,” said Okaloosa County Sheriff Eric Aden.
FDLE Pensacola Special Agent in Charge Chris Williams said, “Our agents proactively investigate drug dealers and trafficking organizations to intercept these dangerous drugs. Still, fentanyl and methamphetamines kill thousands of Floridians each year. There is no doubt that investigating and arresting Maurice Head helped stop the flow of these dangerous drugs into our Northwest Florida communities.”
“The Florida Highway Patrol is committed to enforcing the laws of Florida with an intentional effort to interdict and remove illicit controlled substances along Florida roadways that poison our communities,” said Colonel Gary Howze, Director of the Florida Highway Patrol. “The collaborative relationships between our partner federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies are key in the successful arrest and prosecutions of criminals.”
Head’s prison sentence will be followed by 5 years of supervised release.
This prosecution resulted from a combined investigation conducted by the Okaloosa County Sheriff’s Office, the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Florida Department of Law Enforcement, and the Florida Highway Patrol. Assistant United States Attorneys J. Ryan Love and Alicia H. Forbes prosecuted the case.
This effort is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks.
