GRIMY TIMES EXCLUSIVE: Carlton Shoemaker, a 51-year-old Pensacola native, finds himself staring down the barrel of life imprisonment after being indicted on federal charges of armed drug trafficking. The grim allegations against Shoemaker include three counts of possessing with the intent to distribute controlled substances, possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking offense, and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon.
United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida, John P. Heekin, announced the charges, which were brought forth after an extensive investigation by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) and the Florida Department of Law Enforcement. Assistant United States Attorney Jessica S. Etherton is prosecuting the case.
Shoemaker faced the court on July 22, 2025, before United States Magistrate Judge Zachary C. Bolitho. If convicted on all counts, Shoemaker, who has a prior felony conviction, could be sentenced to life in prison for his alleged crimes.
The charges against Shoemaker are part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative aimed at dismantling cartels and transnational criminal organizations while protecting communities from violent crime. This operation leverages the full resources of the Department of Justice through Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Florida, led by Heekin, is one of 94 principal litigators under the direction of the Attorney General. Those interested in accessing public court documents can visit the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Florida website or learn more about the office at www.justice.gov/usao/fln.
As with any criminal charge, an indictment is merely an allegation and not proof of guilt. Shoemaker is presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a fair trial.
RELATED: Pensacola Man Faces Life Behind Bars for Fentanyl & Firearms
Key Facts
- State: Florida
- Agency: DOJ USAO
- Category: Drug Trafficking|Fraud & Financial Crimes|Violent Crime|Sex Crimes|Cybercrime|Public Corruption|Weapons|Human Trafficking|White Collar Crime|Organized Crime
- Source: Official Source ↗
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