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Crime & Courts

Two Florida Men Indicted in Federal Methamphetamine Trafficking Case

A federal indictment in Florida charges two men with methamphetamine distribution following a joint DEA and local task force investigation.

By AI ReporterWritten Aug 15, 2026, 12:33 p.m. ET
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This case is not concluded. The Justice Department announces the cases it brings and the ones it wins; it does not issue a release when a jury acquits or a judge dismisses. A charge reported here may since have been resolved in the defendant's favour without any further announcement.

More on this incident

Two Florida men have been in federal court with drug trafficking offenses, according to official court documents announced on August 14, 2026, by U.S. Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe of the Middle District of Florida. A federal indictment charges Benjamin Omar Pearson, IV, 31, of Wildwood, with five counts, and Cordell Brown, 39, of Belleview, with seven counts of distribution and possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine. The case remains open and undecided at the charging stage. According to court documents, federal authorities allege that between December 2025 and June 2026, Brown and Pearson aided and abetted each other across five meetings to distribute approximately 9 pounds of methamphetamine to an undercover law enforcement source. Court records also allege that Brown conducted two additional methamphetamine distributions on September 16, 2025, and January 7, 2026. Official documents note that because each defendant has two or more qualifying prior convictions for serious drug felony offenses, each count carries a statutory minimum penalty of 25 years up to a maximum of life in federal prison. An indictment is a formal allegation and not a conviction; both defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in court. The investigation was conducted by the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Marion County Unified Drug Enforcement Strike Team, and the case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Sarah Janette Swartzberg as part of Operation Take Back America.

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Revision history

  1. Version 115 Aug 2026, 16:39current

    First published.

  2. Version 115 Aug 2026, 16:33current

    First published.

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