Jax Couple Traded Guns for Crack, Landed in Federal Prison

JACKSONVILLE, FL – Jonathan Cody, 53, and Kyle Ann Louise Mollgren, 30, both of Jacksonville, Florida, are facing hard time after a federal judge slammed them with prison sentences for their roles in funneling firearms to Jacksonville’s drug trade. Cody received 37 months in federal prison and a $5000 fine after being convicted of possessing a firearm while an unlawful user of controlled substances. Mollgren will spend 30 months behind bars for possessing a firearm as a convicted felon. Both pleaded guilty on October 10, 2018, but the details of their dirty dealings are only now fully surfacing.

Court records reveal that Cody and Mollgren weren’t just holding onto firearms – they were actively selling them to known drug dealers in late 2017. One of the weapons, a particularly dangerous Colt .556 caliber law enforcement carbine equipped with an extended magazine, was sold to Nathaniel Harrison on September 21, 2017. Harrison didn’t hold onto the weapon for long. Later that same day, the carbine ended up in the hands of an undercover agent with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF). Harrison, caught red-handed, quickly identified Cody and Mollgren as his source.

The ATF investigation quickly unraveled the full extent of the couple’s operation. During interviews on February 9, 2018, Cody and Mollgren confessed to trading the Colt .556 – and two other firearms – to Harrison for a steady supply of drugs. They estimated the total value of the drugs received at around $10,000. The damning detail? Cody was a habitual crack cocaine user at the time, and Mollgren was already a convicted felon, making firearm possession illegal for both of them under federal law. They knowingly broke the law, putting dangerous weapons into the hands of criminals.

Harrison, the middleman in this dangerous exchange, wasn’t spared either. He pleaded guilty to federal drug and firearms charges on February 23, 2018, and received a seven-year federal prison sentence for his role. This case highlights the interconnectedness of drug trafficking and illegal gun sales, a deadly combination that law enforcement is working tirelessly to dismantle. The ATF spearheaded the investigation, while Assistant United States Attorney Laura Cofer Taylor expertly prosecuted the case.

This prosecution is part of the Department of Justice’s “Project Safe Neighborhoods” (PSN) program, a nationwide initiative designed to reduce violent crime. PSN isn’t just about arrests and convictions; it’s a holistic approach to public safety, encompassing investigation, prosecution, prevention, and reentry programs. In the Middle District of Florida, U.S. Attorney Maria Chapa Lopez is leading the charge, coordinating PSN efforts with a network of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies.

The sentences handed down to Cody and Mollgren send a clear message: facilitating the flow of firearms to criminals will not be tolerated. While the couple sought profit from the dangerous alliance, they’ve now traded their freedom for federal prison cells. This case serves as a stark reminder of the consequences of choosing crime over compliance with the law.