John Dwayne Riley, Cocaine Possession, Florida 2023

Palm Bay Man Sentenced for Cocaine Trafficking

John Dwayne Riley, 39, Sentenced to 12 Years and 6 Months in Prison

Orlando, Florida – In a major blow to the cocaine trade, John Dwayne Riley, a 39-year-old Palm Bay man, has been sentenced to 12 years and 6 months in federal prison for possessing more than 500 grams of cocaine with the intent to distribute it. Additionally, he has been found guilty of possessing a firearm in furtherance of that drug-trafficking crime.

A federal jury found Riley guilty on April 5, 2016. His extensive criminal history includes convictions for attempted robbery and for drug-trafficking crimes.

According to evidence presented at trial, on June 17, 2015, probation officers with the Florida Department of Corrections went to Riley’s house in response to an anonymous tip that he was dealing drugs. The officers observed powder cocaine inside a car in Riley’s garage, and they also found approximately one kilogram of individually packaged powder cocaine in one of Riley’s kitchen cabinets.

During the execution of a search warrant later that evening, officers from the Palm Bay Police Department discovered an additional 5 grams of individually packaged heroin in another kitchen cabinet and 59 grams of individually packaged crack cocaine in the car. Riley also had several items of drug paraphernalia, and the pans in his kitchen sink contained fresh crack cocaine residue.

Officers found $1,000 in cash in Riley’s pocket, and they recovered a loaded handgun from where Riley had been seated on his living room sofa.

This case was investigated by the Palm Bay Police Department, the Drug Enforcement Administration, and the Florida Department of Corrections. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Embry J. Kidd.

Riley’s sentence serves as a reminder of the severe consequences of engaging in cocaine trafficking and firearm offenses. The investigation and prosecution of this case demonstrate the commitment of law enforcement agencies to crack down on these crimes and keep our communities safe.

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