A Gainesville man was sentenced to seven years in prison after pleading guilty to multiple charges involving possession of marijuana and unlawful possession of a firearm and ammunition.
According to a Northern District of Florida U.S. Attorney’s Office press release sent on Thursday, Khalil Keari Barnett, 30, was sentenced to seven years in prison after previously pleading guilty to possession with intent to distribute marijuana, possession of a firearm in connection with drug trafficking, and unlawful possession of a firearm and ammunition.
“Thanks to the outstanding investigative work of the Alachua County Sheriff’s Office and our federal law enforcement partners, another violent, drug-peddling criminal has been removed from our streets. Operation Take Back America was launched to deploy the full might of the Department of Justice toward eliminating the threats to our communities posed by violent criminals like this defendant, and my office will continue to aggressively prosecute those offenders until our streets are safe and drug-free,” said John Heekin, U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Florida, in the release.
On Aug. 7, 2025, Alachua County Sheriff’s Office (ACSO) deputies responded to a domestic violence call. Upon arrival, Barnett left out the back door of the residence and attempted to enter a rideshare vehicle before fleeing on foot. As he was fleeing, Barnett threw a bag from his person, which included 600 grams of marijuana and a black mask. A firearm and a box of ammunition were also recovered near the defendant, who was prohibited from possessing a firearm or ammunition due to a prior conviction for possession of a weapon by a delinquent.
“The arrest and subsequent federal conviction of Mr. Barnett is, once again, strong evidence to our community that we will not allow violent criminals who inflict physical harm, unlawfully possess weapons, and traffic narcotics to roam our streets in search of their next victim,” said Alachua County Sheriff Chad Scott in the release. “As your Sheriff, I stood before this community and made a commitment to keep you safe while you enjoy all that Alachua County has to offer. It is through partnerships like our relationship with the US Attorney’s Office, along with our federal law enforcement partners, that we are able to uphold that promise.”
The conviction and sentence were the result of a joint investigation by the Alachua County Sheriff’s Office, the Drug Enforcement Administration, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. Assistant U.S. Attorney Christie Utt prosecuted the case.