A Jacksonville man has entered a guilty plea for his role in a federal drug trafficking ring, according to a release from U.S. Attorney Roger B. Handberg's office. Zevion La’Quawn Collins, 30, admitted to conspiracy to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine, with a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years up to life in prison looming ahead. The sentencing date for Collins is still pending.
The statement by the Justice Department reveals that Collins was actively distributing methamphetamine, crack cocaine, and marijuana around Jacksonville, Florida between April 2023 and his June 17, 2024 arrest. Undercover agents managed to rapidly observe Collins conducting multiple drug deals over the observation period, documenting at least six instances where he peddled one to two ounces of pure methamphetamine at a time.
The culmination of the investigation came when agents executed a search warrant at Collins' stash house located on Ken Knight Drive. This led to his arrest and the seizure of items including nearly $5,000 in cash and a loaded Glock .40 caliber pistol. These findings add weight to the charges he now faces.
Collins' case falls under the larger scope of Operation Ice Drop, an OCDETF investigation task force designed to target high-level drug traffickers and criminal organizations. This multi-agency task force aims to disrupt and completely dismantle complex operations that pose a threat to national security. Assistant United States Attorney Aakash Singh is prosecuting the case, which was carried out with cooperation from several federal and local law enforcement agencies, including the FBI, Homeland Security Investigations, the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, and the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office.
