TALLAHASSEE, FLORIDA – A violent felon from Tallahassey, Florida, has pleaded guilty to escaping from the custody of the Attorney General and the Attorney General’s authorized representative.
Derek Somerset, 46, was found guilty on Friday, August 22, 2025, in federal court for his role in evading justice.
According to court documents, Somerset was furloughed from federal prison on October 15, 2024, where he was serving a 48-month sentence for possessing a firearm as a convicted felon. He was expected to report the next day to a residential re-entry facility in Tallahassee to complete his sentence.
However, Somerset failed to report and was found over two months later in a motel parking lot, overdosing on fentanyl.
U.S. Attorney John P. Heekin commended the efforts of local law enforcement partners and the U.S. Marshal’s office in apprehending Somerset and bringing him back to justice.
Somerset faces up to five years’ imprisonment and three years of supervised release when he is sentenced.
The case involved a joint investigation by the Tallahassee Police Department and the United States Marshal’s Service, with the case being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Eric W. Welch.
The United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Florida is one of 94 offices that serve as the nation’s principal litigators under the direction of the Attorney General.
Related Federal Cases
- Wesner, Financial Manipulation, Florida 2023 · Maryland
- Jean Robert, Firearms Offense, Virgin Islands 2002 · Maryland
- Erick Mendoza, Bank Robbery, Florida 2024 · Massachusetts
- Jordan Denzel Lewis, Armed Robbery, Florida 2022 · Florida
- Ariel Valero, Armed Bank Robbery, Florida 2019 · Oklahoma
Key Facts
- State: Florida
- Category: Violent Crime
- Source: DOJ Press Release â†â€â€
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