JACKSONVILLE, FL – Todd Wade Powers, 38, of Middleburg, Florida, is headed back to prison for a long stretch. U.S. District Judge Marcia Morales Howard handed down a 15-year federal sentence today for the repeat offender, convicted of illegally possessing a firearm as a convicted felon. Powers pleaded guilty in April 2025, but his extensive criminal history sealed his fate.
The case unfolded on April 30, 2024, when Clay County Sheriff’s deputies responded to a complaint at a local gas station. They quickly spotted a stolen vehicle – a Jacksonville car reported missing – parked near the pumps. A peek inside revealed an open backpack containing not only a firearm but also a suspicious white powder. That powder turned out to be cocaine.
A full search of the vehicle yielded a veritable cocktail of illicit substances: fentanyl, cocaine, methamphetamine, and marijuana. Alongside the drugs, deputies discovered two loaded firearms. It didn’t take long to connect Powers to the vehicle, and he eventually confessed the guns and drugs were his. This wasn’t a first-time offense, not by a long shot.
Court records show Powers boasts an impressive – and appalling – rap sheet. He’s a 14-time convicted felon, with prior convictions including three counts of possession of controlled substances, two counts of felony petit theft, seven counts of sale or delivery of controlled substances, dealing in stolen property, and falsifying information on a pawnbroker transaction form. Federal law explicitly prohibits individuals with such a record from possessing firearms or ammunition.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) and the Clay County Sheriff’s Office jointly investigated the case. Assistant United States Attorney Elisibeth Adams prosecuted Powers, successfully arguing for the maximum sentence given his history. This prosecution is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a nationwide initiative focused on reducing violent crime and gun violence through coordinated law enforcement efforts and community engagement.
PSN, recently bolstered by a Department of Justice strategy launched May 26, 2021, emphasizes building trust with communities, supporting violence prevention programs, strategically prioritizing enforcement, and meticulously measuring results. While programs are helpful, in Powers’ case, it was solid police work and a lengthy record that kept him off the streets and prevented further harm to the public. He’ll have 15 years to contemplate his choices.
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Key Facts
- State: Florida
- Agency: DOJ USAO
- Category: Drug Trafficking|Violent Crime|Weapons
- Source: Official Source ↗
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