A Tampa man has been handed a sentence of 20 years and 8 months in federal prison on charges related to drug trafficking, including possession with the intent to distribute methamphetamine and fentanyl, and firearms offenses. Mitchell Wilson, age 35, received his sentence from U.S. District Judge Thomas P. Barber, following a guilty plea he entered on November 22, 2023, confirmed the U.S. Department of Justice.
In addition to the prison term, Wilson was being ordered to forfeit a Smith & Wesson Model M&P Shield 9mm pistol with assorted ammunition, which were found to be instrumental in the commission of his crimes. Having previously served time, Wilson became embroiled in narcotics distribution shortly after his release from prison in August 2021, dealing significantly in the trafficking of dangerous substances like methamphetamine and fentanyl.
Reports provided by the court indicate that on September 13, 2022, a confidential source successfully purchased fentanyl from Wilson. Subsequent to the sale, agents confiscated sizable quantities of narcotics from Wilson’s possession, which included 97 grams of pure methamphetamine and a 36-gram mixture containing fentanyl and cocaine, along with drug paraphernalia. And as Wilson transferred a backpack containing a loaded firearm from his hotel room to his car, the agents caught him in the act.
Further investigation revealed that Wilson was intimately connected with a Palmetto Beach drug trafficking organization, from which he sourced over two kilograms of fentanyl and cocaine in the span of just ten months. During his arrest, he was found with a drug ledger and hundreds of dollars in cash, signaling his entrenchment in the drug trade. Prior to his most recent offenses, Wilson's criminal history included numerous felony convictions, which encompassed four prior drug trafficking charges and one for fleeing to elude law enforcement, according to the U.S. Department of Justice.
The case formed part of an investigation by the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF), a multi-agency collaborative approach aimed at dismantling high-level criminal organizations that pose a threat to public safety. The Drug Enforcement Administration, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and the Tampa Police Department carried out the investigation, with prosecution handled by Assistant United States Attorney Samantha E. Beckman.
