Escambia Man Sentenced To Federal Prison For Possession Of Machine Gun, Drugs

June 26, 2025

An Escambia County man has been sentenced to nine years in federal prison for trafficking in large amounts of marijuana and possessing a loaded machine gun.

Antoine Booker, Jr., 21, received the sentence this week, according to John P. Heekin, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida.

“The public should rest assured that law enforcement will not stand for armed drug traffickers endangering citizens in our streets. If you possess a machine gun to protect your drug trafficking operations, you should know that federal prison awaits you,” Heekin said.

Court documents state that on December 6, 2023, a Florida Highway Patrol Trooper was stopped at a red traffic light on Pensacola Boulevard at W Street when he observed a newer model Nissan Altima directly in front of him with dark tinted windows. He attempted a traffic stop for the tint violation.

For more photos, click here.

The driver, later identified as Booker, rapidly accelerated and swerved left towards a K9 Trooper’s vehicle who just arrived to assist with the traffic stop. The driver then swerved right into a Circle K gas station located at 7950 Pensacola Blvd. As the vehicle entered the parking lot, the trooper observed what appeared to be a Ziploc-type bag with a light-colored powdery substance being tossed out of the window, and a pursuit followed.

The driver continued traveling through the Circle K parking lot northbound at speeds reaching 100 mph towards Broad Street. By this time, the K-9 Trooper became primary in the pursuit as the vehicle turned onto Pittman Ave from Broad Street. The driver continued south on Pittman Ave then east on Hope Drive. Troopers said Booker then ran a posted stop sign and turned right to continue south on Palafox St. The driver continued southbound at speeds reaching 100 mph, passed other innocent motorists in a no-passing zone and drove on the wrong side of the roadway multiple times. Booker then continued south and attempted to turn right into the Taco Rock 29 parking lot (5454 Pensacola Blvd) where he collided with a curb, and the vehicle overturned.

Booker crawled out and was caught in possession of the firearm. The firearm was a Glock 9-millimeter pistol, which was modified with a “conversion device” that rendered it an automatic firing machine gun. The machine gun contained 32 rounds of ammunition in its chamber and an extended high-capacity magazine. Law enforcement also located a large amount of marijuana, multiple digital scales for weighing and distributing the marijuana, and other illicit substances.

“Had it not been for law enforcement’s training and determination, this armed suspect would have undoubtedly wreaked havoc in Northwest Florida,” said ATF Tampa Field Division’s Special Agent in Charge Kirk Howard. “We are proud of the partnerships we’ve built with Florida Highway Patrol, Florida Department of Law Enforcement, Escambia County Sheriff’s Office and our federal prosecutors.”
The case involved a joint investigation by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives; the Florida Highway Patrol; the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office; and the Florida Department of Law Enforcement. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys David L. Goldberg and Jessica S. Etherton.

Photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.

Comments

2 Responses to “Escambia Man Sentenced To Federal Prison For Possession Of Machine Gun, Drugs”

  1. EFM on June 26th, 2025 10:59 am

    Florida could have collected taxes on sales of this haul instead of spending our tax dollars. (I’m happy to see this d-bag locked up). Florida could be doing something about insurance rates. Instead, the true criminals -our legislature and especially our governor- waste time on book bans, culture wars and mass corruption.

  2. Bill T on June 26th, 2025 9:38 am

    Ya think you big boy right ??? Well one thing that’s for sure prison will get your attention for a long time get ready here we go !!!!!

Written by William Reynolds · Filed Under News