TAMPA, FL – Evan Ingram, 42, of Clearwater, Florida, is looking at a substantial stretch in federal prison after pleading guilty to charges of distribution and possession with the intent to distribute cocaine, and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. The plea, entered this week, brings to a head a case built by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) and the Clearwater Police Department.
Ingram’s rap sheet is extensive. Court documents reveal seven prior felony convictions, including charges related to cocaine possession and sales, robbery, aggravated assault, and even peddling counterfeit substances. This isn’t a first-time offender; Ingram has a history of disregard for the law, and this time, the consequences could be life-altering.
The current case stems from a series of transactions in August and September of 2022. Prosecutors say Ingram distributed a substance containing cocaine on five dates in August and two in September. Worryingly, on four of those dates, Ingram also allegedly sold either a firearm or a firearm and ammunition – a dangerous combination for a man already prohibited from owning weapons.
The feds aren’t messing around. Ingram faces up to 20 years in federal prison for the drug charge alone. But it’s the firearm charge that carries the most significant risk: a mandatory minimum of 15 years, potentially escalating to life behind bars. Sentencing has not yet been scheduled, leaving Ingram in limbo as he awaits his fate.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Samantha Newman is prosecuting the case, framing it as part of the Department of Justice’s “Project Safe Neighborhoods” initiative – a broad effort to reduce violent crime and gun violence by fostering collaboration between law enforcement and local communities. The program emphasizes building trust and strategically targeting enforcement efforts.
This case highlights the ATF’s ongoing focus on preventing convicted felons from acquiring and using firearms, and disrupting the flow of illegal drugs onto the streets. The Department of Justice is hoping this conviction will send a message: those who repeatedly break the law and endanger public safety will be held accountable to the fullest extent of the law. A sentencing date will be announced soon.
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Key Facts
- Agency: ATF
- Category: Drug Trafficking|Weapons|Violent Crime|Organized Crime
- Source: Official Press Release
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