CRAWFORDVILLE WOMAN PLEADS GUILTY TO DRUG AND FIREARM CHARGES

TALLAHASSEE, FLORIDA - Lisa Marie Ezell, 39, of Crawfordville, Florida, pleaded guilty to possession of a controlled substance with intent to distribute, unlawful possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking offense. The plea was announced by John P. Heekin, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida.

United States Attorney Heekin said, "Our law enforcement partners work hard every day to take dangerous drugs and guns off our streets, and this successful prosecution is another step in keeping our communities safe. My office is committed to aggressively pursuing criminals like this defendant with the full force of the law to fulfill the promise made by President Donald J. Trump and Attorney General Pam Bondi to Take Back America from the dangerous drug traffickers who have flooded our streets with deadly narcotics."

Court documents reflect that in July 2025, law enforcement executed a search warrant at Ezell's residence after previously conducting several controlled purchases of large quantities of methamphetamine from her. During the search, officers recovered large quantities of methamphetamine, 18 firearms, and several thousand dollars believed to be the proceeds of her drug trafficking operations. Due to her prior criminal record, including for a previous serious drug felony, Ezell was prohibited from possessing firearms and now faces a minimum term of fifteen years' imprisonment on the possession with intent to distribute count, and up to fifteen years' imprisonment on the possession of firearm by convicted felon count. Additionally, Ezell is subject to a consecutive sentence of a minimum term of five years' imprisonment on the possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking offense count.

The case involved a joint investigation by the Wakulla County Sheriff's Office and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement's Homeland Security Investigations. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Harley W. Ferguson.

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, Northern District of Florida, visit https://http://www.justice.gov/usao/fln/index.html.