TALLAHASSEE — A 69-year-old Georgia man has been indicted in federal court on three counts of distributing methamphetamine and one count of possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine, U.S. Attorney John P. Heekin announced.
Jimmy Randell Chason of Cairo, Georgia, appeared for his arraignment before U.S. Magistrate Judge Charles A. Stampelos in Tallahassee. If convicted, Chason faces 10 years to life imprisonment on each count.
A change of plea is scheduled for June 15 at 11:30 a.m. before Chief District Court Judge Allen C. Winsor in Tallahassee. Assistant U.S. Attorney Eric K. Mountin is prosecuting the case.
The Drug Enforcement Administration and North Florida High Intensity Drug Trafficking Areas, known as HIDTA, are investigating the case. The federal designation of North Florida as a HIDTA region reflects the persistent flow of narcotics through the area, and methamphetamine cases have been a recurring focus of federal enforcement in the Northern District.
“This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime,” the U.S. Attorney’s Office stated.
“An indictment is merely an allegation by a grand jury that a defendant has committed a violation of federal criminal law and is not evidence of guilt,” the office noted. “All defendants are presumed innocent and entitled to a fair trial, during which it will be the government’s burden to prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt at trial.”
Chason’s next court appearance before Judge Winsor is set for June 15 in Tallahassee.