Five Sentenced in Panama City Cocaine Conspiracy

Twenty kilograms of cocaine flooded the streets of Panama City in early 2016, funneled through a tight-knit crew now behind bars. Thomas Zachary Breeding, 33, of Panama City, Florida, Benjamin Bailey McGraw, 37, of Smyrna, Georgia, Jeremy Patrick Hubbard, 32, of Panama City Beach, Florida, Richard Kenneth Helms Jr., 43, of Panama City Beach, and Jessica Renee Ashbaker, 32, of Panama City Beach, were sentenced today on charges tied to a sprawling drug and firearms conspiracy that turned the Emerald Coast into a trafficking corridor.

U.S. Attorney Christopher P. Canova announced the sentences: Breeding received 72 months, McGraw 180 months, Hubbard 96 months, Helms 48 months, and Ashbaker 12 months in federal prison. All five pled guilty to conspiring to distribute and possess with intent to distribute five kilograms or more of cocaine—a charge rooted in Breeding’s acquisition of approximately 20 kilograms in June 2016, which he split among the co-conspirators for resale.

The arrests unfolded rapidly. On June 25, 2016, law enforcement stopped Breeding’s vehicle and found both cocaine and a firearm. Days later, on June 29, Hubbard arrived at a planned handoff in Panama City Beach with $20,000 in cash and a loaded firearm in his car. He was arrested on the spot. Meanwhile, McGraw waited at a nearby motel—where officers found a cocaine press, roughly 800 alprazolam tablets, a loaded firearm, and additional drug paraphernalia during his arrest.

McGraw and Hubbard were both convicted of possession of a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking, with McGraw also admitting to possession with intent to distribute alprazolam. Breeding and Hubbard pled guilty to being felons in possession of a firearm. Helms and Ashbaker admitted to possession with intent to distribute 500 grams or more of cocaine—evidence confirmed on July 8, when authorities seized approximately 2.5 kilograms of cocaine and $33,000 in cash from their residence.

The takedown was the result of a multi-agency dragnet led by the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), Florida Department of Law Enforcement (FDLE), Walton County Sheriff’s Office, Jackson County Sheriff’s Office, and Panama City Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Edwin Knight prosecuted the case, weaving together financial trails, surveillance, and physical evidence to dismantle the network.

These convictions signal a broader crackdown on organized drug operations in the Northern District of Florida. Amy Alexander, Public Information Officer, emphasized that the U.S. Attorney’s Office remains committed to targeting high-level distributors. The case is publicly accessible via the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Florida website.

RELATED: Anwar, Saeed Get 40+ Years for Synthetic Drug Empire

RELATED: Ecuadorian Man Gets 14 Years in Cocaine Bust