Source: Office of United States Attorneys
PENSACOLA, FLORIDA – Seth Dewayne Talbot, 45, of Laurel Hill, Florida was sentenced by District Court Judge T. Kent Wetherell, II to 180 months in prison after previously pleading guilty to possession with intent to distribute more than 50 grams of methamphetamine, possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. The sentence was announced by John P. Heekin, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida.
U.S. Attorney Heekin said: “I commend our state and federal law enforcement partners for their outstanding work in investigating and arresting this armed drug trafficker. Methamphetamine is a deadly drug that is plaguing our communities, and my office will continue to support the excellent work of our law enforcement partners by aggressively prosecuting the criminals who flood our streets with these dangerous drugs.”
According to court records, the Okaloosa County Sheriff’s Office began investigating Talbot after receiving information in October of 2024 that he was selling illegal narcotics. In November of 2024, law enforcement executed a search warrant at Talbot’s residence, and investigators located over 180 grams of methamphetamine, two loaded firearms, a box of ammunition, and United States currency in Talbot’s bedroom. Talbot has multiple prior felony convictions.
“Methamphetamine is a highly addictive and insidious poison that destroys communities. Mr. Talbot’s drug trafficking activities demonstrated a clear disregard for our north Florida communities by putting countless lives in danger while possessing firearms that he was clearly prohibited from possessing,” said DEA Miami Field Division Special Agent in Charge Deanne L. Reuter. “The men and women of the DEA will continue to work tirelessly with our local and state law enforcement partners to ensure those, like Mr. Talbot, who put the safety of our communities at risk are held accountable for their actions.”
“We are proud of our ongoing successful partnerships to target drug traffickers and remove them from our county. Whether they’re operating in populated areas or rural communities, our combined efforts and persistence continue to pay off,” said Sheriff Eric Aden, Okaloosa County Sheriff’s Office.
The conviction and sentence were the result of a joint investigation by the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Okaloosa County Sheriff’s Office, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Jessica S. Etherton.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America (https://www.justice.gov/dag/media/1393746/dl?inline ) 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. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).
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 for the Northern District of Florida, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/fln/index.html.