JACKSONVILLE, FL – Brandon Corey Skeith, 40, is headed to federal prison for more than seven years after a Jacksonville motel room sting exposed him as a fentanyl and cocaine base dealer operating with a loaded firearm. U.S. District Judge Marcia Morales Howard handed down the sentence of seven years and eight months on Thursday, February 9, 2023, following Skeith’s guilty plea on November 3, 2022.
The bust originated with the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office Narcotics Unit, who observed Skeith peddling fentanyl from a motel room near Dunn Avenue in April 2022. Surveillance quickly led to a search warrant, and officers found Skeith with a stash of fentanyl already packaged for street sales, along with cocaine base, drug scales, and laboratory glassware – the tools of a seasoned dealer. But the real kicker? A loaded Smith and Wesson 9mm pistol was recovered at the scene.
Investigators didn’t stop there. The firearm was sent to the Florida Department of Law Enforcement, where forensic analysis confirmed Skeith’s DNA was all over the weapon. This sealed the deal, adding a serious weapons charge to his already damning drug trafficking offenses. He wasn’t just dealing poison; he was armed and ready to protect his operation.
Assistant United States Attorney Frank Talbot prosecuted the case, while Assistant United States Attorney Mai Tran handled the forfeiture of the firearm and ammunition – meaning Skeith loses not only his freedom but also his weapon. The Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) jointly investigated the case, highlighting the combined effort to get dangerous criminals off the streets.
Federal officials are framing this sentencing as part of “Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN),” a broad initiative aimed at reducing violent crime and gun violence. The program, they claim, focuses on building trust with communities, supporting local organizations, and strategically targeting enforcement. But for the residents of Jacksonville, particularly those near Dunn Avenue, this case is less about lofty programs and more about removing a dangerous individual and his deadly product from their neighborhood.
Skeith’s seven year and eight month sentence sends a clear message: dealing fentanyl and packing heat won’t be tolerated. While one dealer is off the streets, the fentanyl crisis continues to ravage communities across the nation. The ATF and local law enforcement agencies remain locked in a constant battle against the relentless flow of this deadly drug, one bust, one sentence, at a time.
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Key Facts
- Agency: ATF
- Category: Drug Trafficking|Violent Crime|Weapons
- Source: Official Press Release
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