Man Caught in Florida with Over 100 Kilos of Marijuana Faces Federal Indictment

Pensacola, Florida - James Craig, 46, of Mokena, Illinois, has been indicted in federal court on one count of possession with intent to distribute 100 kilograms or more of marijuana. John P. Heekin, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida, announced the charge.

Craig appeared in federal court for his arraignment before United States Magistrate Judge Zachary Bolitho in Pensacola, Florida. Jury trial is scheduled for September 8, 2026, at 8:00 a.m. before District Court Judge M. Casey Rodgers.

If convicted, Craig faces between 5 years' to 40 years' imprisonment.

This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration, with assistance from the Gulf Coast High Intensity Drug Trafficking Areas (HIDTA) Task Force. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Alicia H. Forbes.

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. 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.

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 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 FloridaLinks to other government and non-government sites will typically appear with the "external link" icon to indicate that you are leaving the Department of Justice website when you click the link. website. For more information about the United States Attorney's Office, Northern District of Florida, visit https://www.justice.gov/usao-ndfl.