Department of Justice

Jacksonville, Florida – U.S. District Judge Marcia Morales Howard has sentenced Tony Deshawn McFadden (29, Jacksonville) to nine years in federal prison for possessing a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking.

McFadden had pleaded guilty on January 15, 2021.

According to court documents, on August 18, 2018, officers with the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office (JSO) were patrolling the area of Woodbine Street and Springfield Boulevard in Brentwood, as a result of a recent shooting near that location. JSO officers observed McFadden involved in what appeared to be drug activity. As the officers approached to investigate, McFadden ran and ignored instructions to stop. The officers chased McFadden into a convenience store where he threw down a Glock .40 caliber pistol and 3.3 grams of crack cocaine before they took him into custody.

This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Beatriz Gonzalez, Laura Cofer Taylor, and Special Assistant United States Attorney Cyrus P. Zomorodian.

This case is part of Project Guardian, the Department of Justice’s signature initiative to reduce gun violence and enforce Federal firearms laws. Initiated by the Attorney General in the fall of 2019, Project Guardian draws upon the Department’s past successful programs to reduce gun violence and enhances coordination of federal, state, local, and tribal authorities in investigating and prosecuting gun crimes. For more information on Project Guardian visit www.justice.gov/projectguardian.