TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (WTXL) — The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Florida announced Tuesday a 30-year sentence for the man accused of heading a drug trafficking organization affiliated with a violent Gadsden County gang and facilitating a large-scale dogfighting ring throughout the Panhandle.
According to the Attorney's office, 32-year-old Jermaine Hadley of Quincy ran an organization responsible for the distribution of over 50 kilograms of methamphetamine, over 15 kilograms of cocaine, MDMA, possession of illegal firearms, in addition to facilitating a large-scale dogfighting ring throughout the north-central Florida Panhandle between 2018 and 2019.
Hadley was sentenced to 30 years in federal prison on Friday, June 4, 2021. The sentencing was announced by Jason R. Coody, Acting United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida.
“As a result of the incredible work of our law enforcement partners, this criminal has been held to account for the violence, armed drug trafficking, and horrific acts of animal cruelty he orchestrated,” stated Acting U.S. Attorney Coody. “The abuse of animals for profit is both inhumane and illegal and will be vigorously prosecuted by this office.”
As stated in the report, Hadley led a drug trafficking organization supplied by multiple sources in Georgia, Louisiana, Texas, and throughout the Northern District of Florida.
The Attorney's office says Hadley's distribution network involved members of the Gadsden County, Florida “424” criminal street gang.
In addition, Hadley and his associates coordinated and conducted numerous dogfighting matches in which the dogs were often forced to fight to the death while participants paid to watch and gambled on the outcomes.
Coody said multi-kilogram quantities of methamphetamine, cocaine, MDMA, marijuana, numerous firearms, large sums of U.S. currency, as well as the rescue and rehabilitation of over 100 fighting dogs were seized as the result of the investigation.
This investigation and prosecution was the result of the collaborative effort of numerous federal, state, and local agencies, including the Drug Enforcement Administration, the U.S. Department of Agriculture Office of Inspector General, Homeland Security Investigations, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the United States Marshals Service, the Gadsden County Sheriff’s Office, the Jackson County Sheriff’s Office, the Florida Highway Patrol, the Chattahoochee Police Department, the Tallahassee Police Department, the Leon County Sheriff’s Office, the Calhoun County Sheriff’s Office, the Florida Department of Law Enforcement, and the Florida Air National Guard Counterdrug Program.
“The Gadsden County Sheriff’s Office appreciates the teamwork from all agencies. We are intolerable of offenses especially this kind,” stated Sheriff Morris Young.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Eric Mountin.
A total of 21 defendants were arrested and have been sentenced or are awaiting sentencing from the long-term investigation into drug trafficking and dogfighting, to include:
- Dennis Lamar Howard, 47, of Chattahoochee, Florida; Sentenced to credit for time served, with 2 years of supervised release, 6 months of which will be served on home detention with location monitoring.
- Eddie Lee Hughes, 54, of Chattahoochee, Florida; Sentenced to credit for time served, with 3 years of supervised release.
- Leonard Safford, 39, of Gretna, Florida; Sentenced to 48 months in federal prison
- Patrick Lee Baker, 45, of Chattahoochee, Florida; Sentencing set for 6/24/2021
- Sariem Shanquell McMillian, 25, of Quincy, Florida; Sentencing set for 6/24/2021
- Bob Streets, 37, of Quincy, Florida; Sentencing set for 6/24/2021
- Jeremy Williams, 30, of Greenwood, Florida; Sentencing set for 6/25/2021
- Linda Lockwood, 50, of Chattahoochee, Florida; Sentencing set for 6/25/2021
- Zanntayfey Yohoun Bennett, 37, of Quincy, Florida; Sentencing set for 7/7/2021
- Samantha Eugenia Yelle, 32, of Marianna, Florida; Sentencing set for 7/7/2021
- Devar San Jacus Donaldson, 29, of Quincy, Florida; Sentencing set for 7/8/2021
- Tiffany Jean Hughes, 31, of Marianna, Florida; Sentencing set for 7/8/2021
- Jamaron Juanata Paden, Sr., 31, of Marianna, Florida; Sentencing set for 7/9/2021
- Tanya Henry, 43, of Marianna, Florida; Sentencing set for 7/9/2021
- Charles Randolph Corbin, 47, of Blountstown, Florida; Sentencing set for 7/21/2021
- Justin Cribley, 38, of Chattahoochee, Florida; Sentencing set for 7/21/2021
- Ja'Rod Lamar Bryant, 33, of Chattahoochee, Florida; Sentencing set for 7/22/2021
- DeCarlise Roidel Chapman, 47, of Marianna, Florida; Sentencing set for 7/22/2021
- Savanna Price, 21, of Marianna, Florida; Sentencing set for 7/23/2021
- Jequentavious Trayshon Owens, 26, of Chattahoochee, Florida; Sentencing set for 7/23/2021
