JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – A disgraced former Florida Highway Patrol trooper is facing a long stretch behind bars after a federal judge handed down a 21-year sentence for a spree of brazen armed pharmacy robberies. Jesse Rance Moore, 46, of Bell, was convicted on November 2, 2023, and sentenced Wednesday by Visiting U.S. District Judge Larry A. Burns.
Moore was found guilty on four counts related to Hobbs Act robberies and three counts for brandishing a firearm during the commission of those crimes. The robberies targeted pharmacies in Columbia County, beginning with the North Florida Pharmacy of Fort White on August 2, 2021. He continued to hit the North Florida Pharmacy of Chiefland on November 20, 2021, the Baya West Pharmacy in Lake City on December 29, 2021, and again at the North Florida Pharmacy of Fort White on January 13, 2022.
The FBI’s investigation began after the January 2022 Fort White robbery, where surveillance footage captured a masked man threatening employees with a black handgun and demanding controlled substances – oxycodone, OxyContin, and Percocet. A sharp-eyed witness in the drive-thru followed the getaway vehicle and provided the license plate number, which investigators traced back to Moore. Further investigation revealed Moore’s white Ford F-350, or rental vehicles linked to his wife, matched the descriptions of the vehicles used in the prior three robberies.
Law enforcement officials seized a disturbing collection of evidence from Moore’s possession: clothing matching the robber’s attire, multiple masks, the firearm used in the robberies, handwritten notes, and brown boots. Witnesses, despite Moore’s attempts at disguise, were able to identify characteristics of the robber’s physical appearance, clothing, interactions, and overall demeanor. Adding another layer of damning evidence, investigators discovered Moore had been actively researching his targets online.
A forensic examination of Moore’s cellphone revealed searches for the stolen medications, pharmacy store hours, and, chillingly, the question “do drug stores get robbed in florida,” conducted just weeks before the first robbery. The evidence painted a clear picture of premeditation. Moore’s past as a law enforcement officer – he served as a Florida Highway Patrol Trooper from January 13, 2003, to February 27, 2017 – made his actions even more egregious.
Court documents reveal Moore had a troubled career with the FHP, facing multiple disciplinary issues and even two terminations, both of which he successfully appealed through settlement agreements. Judge Burns ordered Moore to forfeit the firearm used in the robberies. The investigation was a collaborative effort involving the FBI, Columbia County Sheriff’s Office, Lake City Police Department, Chiefland Police Department, ATF, DEA, Florida Department of Law Enforcement, and other agencies. Moore’s 21-year sentence sends a clear message: betraying the public trust and resorting to armed robbery will be met with severe consequences, even for those who once wore the badge.
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