PENSACOLA, FLORIDA — This is an official press release from the U.S. Department of Justice (Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF)), published as received.
PENSACOLA, FLORIDA – Shaun Edward McBay, 51, of Freeport, Florida, was sentenced to 120 months in federal prison after previously pleading guilty to possession with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine and 500 grams or more of a mixture and substance containing methamphetamine and possession of a firearm and ammunition by a convicted felon. Jason R. Coody, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida, announced the sentence.
“Methamphetamine distribution is a scourge on large and small communities of our district,” said U.S. Attorney Coody. “With our dedicated law enforcement partners, we are committed to identifying and aggressively prosecuting those who threaten our citizens’ health and safety by distributing such addictive, controlled substances. This sentence acknowledges the defendant’s continued criminal conduct and sends a straightforward message that there are real and severe consequences for federal firearm and drug offenses.”
On April 9, 2023, Okaloosa County Sheriff’s deputies seized 565 grams of a mixture and substance containing methamphetamine from McBay during a traffic stop in Destin, Florida. Eight days later, on April 17, 2023, Walton County Sheriff’s Office investigators executed a state search warrant at McBay’s residence in Freeport, Florida. During the search, investigators located and seized 16 grams of a mixture and substance containing methamphetamine, drug paraphernalia including digital scales and baggies used for drug distribution, 7 firearms and 146 rounds of ammunition.
McBay’s prison sentence will be followed by 5 years of supervised release.
“Meth distribution doesn’t just devastate individuals. It devastates communities,” said Okaloosa County Sheriff Eric Aden. Every time we partner together to take a meth dealer like Shaun McBay off our streets, we score a victory for the overall health, safety, and quality of life of our entire region.”
“I cannot stress enough the importance of good partnerships and how those translate into successful investigations, arrests, and prosecutions,” said Walton County Sheriff Michael Adkinson. “The result is getting dangerous drugs off the streets before they poison our community.”
“Our partnerships with local sheriff’s offices, and our state and federal partners make arrests like this one possible,” said Drug Enforcement Administration Miami Field Division Special Agent in Charge Deanne L. Reuter. “This person peddled dangerous substances that rip apart families and communities. Through our joint efforts we were able to take him off the streets.”
This sentencing resulted from the collaborative investigations of the Okaloosa County Sheriff’s Office, the Walton County Sheriff’s Office, the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, and others with the Gulf Coast High Intensity Drug Trafficking Areas Task Force (HIDTA). The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney J. Ryan Love.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
As part of its PSN strategy, the United States Attorney’s Office is encouraging everyone to lock their car doors, particularly at night. Burglaries from unlocked automobiles are a significant source of guns for criminals in the Northern District of Florida. Please do your part and protect yourself by locking your car doors.
The United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Florida is one of 94 offices that serve as the nation’s principal litigators under the direction of the Attorney General. To access public court documents online, please visit the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Florida website. For more information about the United States Attorney’s Office, Northern District of Florida, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/fln/index.html.
