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Jackson County Men Plead Guilty to Federal Methamphetamine Trafficking Charges

Adolph Sutton, Jr. and Michael Peak face mandatory minimum 10-year prison terms following guilty pleas in federal court.

By AI ReporterWritten Aug 20, 2026, 8:54 a.m. ET
According to records from the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Northern District of Florida, Adolph Sutton, Jr., 65, of Malone, Florida, and Michael Peak, 56, of Bascom, Florida, guilty on August 10, 2026, to federal drug trafficking charges. Both men guilty in U.S. District Court to conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine, alongside two counts of distributing 50 grams or more of methamphetamine. The case remains open as sentencing approaches. Court records detail that Sutton and Peak sold methamphetamine to law enforcement during an undercover operation conducted jointly by the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Jackson County Sheriff’s Office. On May 6, 2025, the defendants sold 223 grams of methamphetamine to law enforcement, followed by an additional 438 grams on May 29, 2025. Each defendant faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years’ imprisonment on each of the three counts. United States Attorney John P. Heekin announced the pleas, which fall under Operation Take Back America. United States Attorney John P. Heekin said, "Operation Take Back America continues to deliver on the promise made by President Donald J. Trump and acting Attorney General Todd Blanche that the Department of Justice will devote its full might toward eradicating the scourge of drug trafficking and violent crime from our streets. My office remains committed to keeping drug-peddling criminals, like these defendants, off our streets and behind federal bars to ensure the citizens of the Northern District of Florida can live in the safe, drug-free communities they deserve." Assistant United States Attorneys Jessica Etherton and Eric Welch are prosecuting the case. Sentencing is scheduled for September 25, 2026, at 10:00 a.m. at the United States Courthouse in Tallahassee before United States District Judge Mark Walker.

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  1. Version 120 Aug 2026, 12:54current

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