GAINESVILLE, FLORIDA, Feb. 26, 2024 at 5:45:21 PM EST – The last of 12 federal defendants was sentenced for drug-trafficking and firearm charges related to a joint federal and state investigation into the 4K criminal street gang in the city of Alachua, Florida. The sentences were announced by Jason R. Coody, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida.

“Our law enforcement partners’ concerted investigation and prosecution of violent crime – here acts of murder and retaliatory gun violence by rival gang members – is central to our mission to protect the public,” said U.S. Attorney Coody. “The sentences imposed in this investigation, some spanning multiple decades, illustrate our shared resolve to keep our communities safe and the significant consequences associated with gun violence by gang-affiliated drug traffickers.”

The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) Safe Streets Task Force began an investigation of the 4K gang following a number of gang-related shootings in the city of Alachua in 2018.

The FBI worked with the Alachua County Sheriff’s Office and the Alachua Police Department to investigate the initial shooting and numerous other shootings thereafter. The Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) aided through investigation of 4K’s drug-trafficking activity.

Between Feb. 22, 2020, and May 20, 2020, the United States Attorney’s Office, FBI, and DEA obtained six court-authorized Title III wiretaps on cellphones used by members of the drug-trafficking conspiracy. On May 20, 2020, federal search warrants were executed, and four individuals were federally arrested, with others being indicted in June and August 2020.

The federally sentenced defendants, which included 4K gang members and associates, as well as people selling drugs to the 4K gang, were:

Roddrae Antonio Williams, 32, Alachua, Florida, 480 months in prison, followed by 10 years of supervised release.

Elboric Quadarius Robinson, 32, Alachua, Florida, 336 months in prison, followed by 8 years of supervised release.

Decoda Kadarrell King, 36, Williston, Florida, 168 months in prison, followed by 8 years of supervised release.

Eric Jermaine Williams, 42, Gainesville, Florida, 104 months in prison, followed by 5 years of supervised release

Daniel Heath Willis, 30, Alachua, Florida, 96 months in prison, followed by 8 years of supervised release.

Morris Cordell Robinson, Jr., 58, Alachua, Florida, 78 months in prison, followed by 10 years of supervised release.

Gregory Lavough Williams, Jr., 44, Yorba Linda, California, 48 months in prison, followed by 4 years of supervised release.

Rakeidra Alexandria Neal, 33, Gainesville, Florida, 14.5 months in prison, followed by 5 years of supervised release.

Rayme Herhandez, 47, Morriston, Florida, 12 months and 1 day in prison, followed by 8 years of supervised release.

Tomeka Necole Bryant, 44, Gainesville, Florida, 12 months and 1 day in prison, followed by 2 years of supervised release.

Edward Lashawn Garrison, Jr., 27, Fort White, Florida, 10 months in prison, followed by 3 years of supervised release.

Lorenza Durr, 33, Alachua, Florida, 8 months in prison in prison, followed by 3 years of supervised release.

“The Alachua County Sheriff’s Office recognizes the grave threats posed by drug trafficking and firearm violations,” said Sheriff Emory Gainey. “We understand that multi-agency cooperation is not merely a strategy but an essential approach to addressing these challenges.  Together, we stand united in our mission to protect our neighborhoods and uphold the rule of law.”

“The sentencing of Roddrae Williams brings to a close a years-long joint investigation involving multiple law enforcement and investigative partners.” 

“The cooperation between these agencies resulted in the successful prosecution of these 12 individuals who terrorized our local communities,” said Alachua Police Chief Jesse J. Sandusky.  “We are thankful for the assistance we received from our partners and hope that this can help bring closure to the victim's families."

Charges by the Eighth Judicial Circuit State Attorney’s Office were brought against the following:

Hakiem Brockman, 25, West Palm Beach, Florida, pled nolo contendere to second degree murder with discharge of a firearm causing death, conspiracy to commit first degree murder, and four counts of attempted murder in the first degree with discharge of a firearm. Brockman was sentenced to 35 years in prison, 25 of which will be served day-for-day.

McKenzley Edwards, 30, Alachua, Florida, pled nolo contendere to six counts of attempted second degree murder with discharge of a firearm and actual possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, tampering with a witness, victim, or informant, and one count of conspiracy to commit first degree murder (premeditated) and attempted murder. Edwards was sentenced to 25 years in prison, 20 of which will be served day-for-day.

Kenzel Edwards, 28, Alachua, Florida, pled nolo contendere to three counts of attempted second degree murder with a firearm and was sentenced to 15 years in prison, 10 of which will be served day-for-day.

Jeffery Robinson, Jr., 29, Alachua, Florida, pled nolo contendere to accessory after the fact to the murder and was sentenced to 5 years in prison.

Roddrae Williams pled guilty to conspiracy to commit first degree murder (premediated) and is pending sentencing

“Each of these violent felony offenders posed a significant risk to the safety of our community.  Thanks to the professional, expert work of this task force and our prosecutors, this community will be protected from further violence by these offenders,” said Brian Kramer, State Attorney for the Eighth Judicial Circuit.

“These sentencings demonstrate the FBI's relentless determination to eradicate drug-fueled gang violence that is plaguing communities,” said FBI Jacksonville Acting Special Agent in Charge Mark Dargis. “Disrupting organizations like this one is a critical part of the FBI mission, and we will use every legal means available to hold accountable those who threaten our neighborhoods. The rule of law is not optional, and we want to make clear to other gangs operating in our communities: the FBI and our local, state, and federal partners are coming for you, and the violence won't be tolerated.”

“DEA’s top priority is protecting the safety and health of our Florida communities.  Drug trafficking and associated violence puts our communities in danger,” said DEA Special Agent in Charge Deanne L. Reuter. “The DEA Miami Field Division remains committed to working with our local, state, and federal law enforcement partners to reduce violent crime, remove dangerous drugs from our streets, and hold those responsible for distributing this poison in our communities accountable for their actions.”

These convictions were the result of a joint investigation conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Alachua County Sheriff’s Office, Alachua Police Department, Gainesville Police Department, University of Florida Police Department, Marion County Sheriff’s Office, and the Ocala Police Department.

The federal cases were prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney James A. McCain, and the state cases were prosecuted by Assistant State Attorney Daniel Owen.

This effort is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF.

This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone.

On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.

As part of its PSN strategy, the United States Attorney’s Office is encouraging everyone to lock their car doors, particularly at night. Burglaries from unlocked automobiles are a significant source of guns for criminals in the Northern District of Florida. Please do your part and protect yourself by locking your car doors.

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

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GAINESVILLE, Fla., Feb. 21, 2024 – Gainesville Regional Airport (GNV) held a groundbreaking ceremony Tuesday, celebrating its latest expansion project: a four-level, 418-space parking garage and intermodal transportation center.

County and City leaders, agency officials, hospitality partners and well-wishers gathered at the construction site of the facility and heard from airport and community leaders about the benefits the project will bring.

“This project has been years in the planning and promises to be another important milestone in our continuing efforts to provide high quality air services and passenger facilities to our region,” said Allan Penksa, GNV’s Chief Executive Officer.

Gainesville Alachua County Airport Authority (GACRAA) Board Member Todd Chase remarked, “This four-level facility provides approximately 420 new parking spaces and will help meet our parking needs for years to come. The intermodal center portion of this project, with major funding by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) through the Bipartisan Infrastructure Program, will result in less curb congestion during busy flight times, improving safety.”

The intermodal center will provide a convenient place for waiting city bus riders and those meeting Uber, Lyft and taxicabs, reducing loading and unloading directly in front of the terminal. The facility will also include convenient restrooms and covered seating for travelers awaiting pick-up.

Gainesville Mayor Harvey Ward commented on how far the airport has come since he was a child and consisted of several portable buildings, “so every time we add something else to this, I feel real good about it.”

The approximately $13 million dollar facility will be funded by three entities. The $1.8 million-dollar intermodal transportation center portion of the project, which includes staging areas for ground vehicles, covered walkways, a bus canopy and restrooms, will be funded 90% by a federal Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL) grant administered through the FAA. The balance of the project costs are to be funded equally by GACRAA and grants from the Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT).

Mr. Chase commented that GNV is in the midst of approximately $52 million dollars in improvements currently in development with more to come, thanks to the support of state and federal partners and airline passengers through collection of passenger facility charges (PFCs). Recent projects include $21 million of investment in existing airfield taxiways and aircraft parking aprons, expansion and renovation of airline ticket offices and the first phase of a new baggage handling system, which will soon break ground.

The project construction team will be led by Scherer Construction, as design-builder. Team members include Michael Baker International (design and engineering); Coreslab Structures (precast parking structure); VoltAir Inc. (mechanical, electrical and plumbing engineering); Cal-Tech Testing, Inc. (geotechnical engineering); JBPro (surveying and permitting support) and Blue Leaf Landscape Architects.

The anticipated timeframe for the project will be 10 to 12 months.

For a rendering of the parking garage and intermodal transportation center, please visit: Gainesville Garage – A2

About Gainesville Regional Airport:

Gainesville Regional Airport (GNV) serves North Central Florida and the Heart of Florida through all facets of aviation: commercial airlines, general aviation, military operations, medical missions and air cargo. Located in Gainesville, Florida, just minutes away from the University of Florida, GNV provides a close, convenient and competitively priced “gateway” to the Heart of Florida. The airport currently operates 12 daily departures on American Airlines, Delta and Silver Airways with nonstop service to the international hubs of Atlanta, Charlotte, Dallas Fort Worth, Fort Lauderdale and Miami, providing access to hundreds of destinations around the world in one stop. GNV is served by a full-service fixed base operator, University Air Center (UAC). With more than 400 part- and full-time employees and tenants at the airport, GNV has an annual economic impact on North Central Florida of $556 million. In 2023, 547,457 commercial passengers flew in and out of GNV. For more information, please visit flygainesville.com

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GAINESVILLE, Fla. – Florida’s Republican-led Legislature passed a sweeping bill Thursday in Tallahassee that would ban all kids under 16 from using social media – even with a parent’s permission – and would require everyone else in the Sunshine State to prove they are adults to continue using their online accounts.

Within hours of the Senate’s vote, Gov. Ron DeSantis resurfaced his own objections over banning high school students who are 14 or 15 and whose parents might want to give their children access. “Parents need to have a role in this,” he said at a news conference. He added, “We can’t say 100% of the uses are bad.”

“It’s still under negotiation,” DeSantis said. “We’re working.”

The Senate voted 23-14 to pass the bill, a priority of House Speaker Paul Renner and one of the most consequential and far-reaching pieces of legislation considered this year by lawmakers. The House voted later in the day 108-7 to pass the Senate’s version of the measure and send it to DeSantis for signature.

“We know that there are pedophiles and sexual predators on these platforms and children can be groomed in less than 45 minutes,” said Sen. Erin Grall, R-Fort Pierce, who championed the measure in the Senate. “The sale of human beings is happening with our most vulnerable children in these platforms.”

Grall said Thursday that she hasn’t discussed concerns with the governor or his representatives.

“I haven’t communicated with the governor’s office on the bill, at all,” Grall said.

Under the bill – and an amendment by Grall that passed late Wednesday – adults in Florida would be required to submit proof-of-age documents or evidence to third-party, U.S.-based companies to prove to social media companies they are old enough to use their accounts on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, X, Snapchat, Reddit and others. 

The bill would require that these companies immediately delete copies of any age-verification information at the end of the process and assure the anonymity of anyone who submitted it. It did not specify what documents or evidence would be acceptable to prove age, but legislative researchers said options include government-issued records such as drivers’ licenses, credit or banking records or even biometric tools that use facial recognition to estimate a person’s age.

It would go into effect July 1. 

The Senate vote was largely along party lines, except that five Republicans voted against the bill and two Democrats supported it. Debate on the Senate floor was rancorous. In the House, the only lawmakers who opposed it were Reps. LaVon Bracy Davis of Orlando, Daryl Campbell of Fort Lauderdale, Anna Eskamani of Orlando, Ashley Viola Gantt of Miami, Angela Nixon of Jacksonville and Felicia Simone Robinson of Miami Gardens – all Democrats.

Sen. Tina Polsky, D-Boca Raton, said the bill – if enacted – would almost certainly be blocked by legal challenges. Critics said it interferes with the First Amendment rights of social media users. A similar law in Arkansas was blocked after a judge ruled that it placed too high a

burden on adults and children attempting to access protected content.

“We are walking ourselves into a judicial defeat, and I’d like to know who’s paying for that,” Polsky said. “We’re cutting our budget; we’re cutting our programs. We’re going to spend another million dollars on defending a case that we all know is unconstitutional.”

NetChoice LLC, a trade organization for major social media platforms, said the age-verification requirement for adults in Florida raised serious privacy concerns. 

“The terrifying component of this bill is a requirement that private businesses send and export sensitive personal information of users to another company,” said Carl Szabo, the group’s top lawyer. “That’s really scary that my most sensitive personal information would be required by Florida law to be sent to a third party to verify I am who I say I am.”

The bill identifies social media services as having “addictive features,” which Grall compared to drug addiction. The bill wouldn’t apply to email providers, streaming services, photo-editing applications, news sites or other popular digital services.

“This has been equated to digital fentanyl,” Grall said. “This is a different version of drug use than most of us have ever seen, but it is just as bad and it affects their brain development and it affects their ability to participate in society.”

Polsky unsuccessfully offered an amendment late Wednesday that would exempt teens under 16 in Florida who could show a reasonable need to use social media, such as young entrepreneurs, dance or recording artists or prospective athletes who showcase their talent to college coaches online. 

On the Senate floor, Polsky read from a news story published earlier Wednesday by Fresh Take Florida, a news service operated by the University of Florida College of Journalism and Communications, that included interviews with teens who ran businesses or advocacy groups before they turned 16.

Sen. Jason Pizzo, D-Hollywood, said parents, not the government, should control what their children can do online. 

“If you need 40 people hanging out in Tallahassee for 60 days to be able to teach your kids, or restrict them from something, you need to seek help,” Pizzo said. 

Sen. Blaise Ingoglia, R-Spring Hill, who voted against the bill said it could prevent children from watching popular cartoons on YouTube Kids. 

Szabo, the lawyer for NetChoice, said his group or others would seek a preliminary injunction in court to block the bill from taking effect if signed by the governor. 

“We can do that on First Amendment grounds because when it comes to free speech, the chilling of free speech, the limiting of free speech, even the threat of losing the opportunity of free speech is a harm unto itself,” Szabo said.

Grall said she believed Florida’s new law would hold up to court challenges because it targeted social media platforms with addictive features, not specific online companies. Such features include “autoplay,” when a website plays videos automatically in succession, or “infinite scroll,” when a website serves up content endlessly.

“This language is very different from some of the other states,” she said. “Some of the other states have specific exclusions for specific platforms. Those make it look like we’re targeting one platform over another versus focusing on the addictive harms that our children are facing.”

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ALACHUA ‒ The Facebook post began with “Most of you know this sweet angel as ‘Ghost Dog.’ She has been a large part of our community for over a decade.”

The post, which went live on Feb. 10, was written by Jennifer Trenteseaux, and this is her story about a stray dog that roamed areas of Alachua for years.

In her own words, Trenteseaux tells us about ‘Ms. Princess,’ a mix breed canine, that has been “roaming the community here in Alachua since 2014.

“Her initial food and water stop was with the old manager at the RaceWay in front of Publix on U.S. Highway 441. As a homeless street dog, she was getting food where she could and absolutely terrified of any human that attempted to approach her. Over the years, she migrated from the Raceway side of 441 to other and became well known at the Wendy’s and the gas station that adjoins.

The Elusive Ghost Dog

“My husband and I married and purchased a home in late 2017 behind the Publix in Heritage Oaks. This is when I first spotted Princess (formally known as the illusive Ghost Dog). One morning, I stopped for gas on the way to work and saw her in the RaceWay parking lot. I tried to catch her for three hours. We ventured through that parking lot and the Publix lot, until she eventually ran into the woods.

“Princess was spotted many times over the last 10 years, and many attempts were made to rescue her. Our community banded together to try and show her that people are good. Many people attempted rescues and left food and water when those attempts failed. There were always postings of the encounters on PetFinder, Nextdoor, and or Alachua/Gainesville /High Springs Words of Mouth.

Community Care

“About two years ago, I noticed Princess frequenting the fence line that bordered my community and the wooded area. It was then that some amazing neighbors got together and routinely left food and water out for her. I'm absolutely amazed at the love and dedication so many have shown this sweet girl. I love our Heritage Oaks Community and the amazing people of Alachua/High Springs.

“Over the past two years, shelters have been built, dog houses and blankets have been plentiful, and the area is daily maintained.

“For the past 1 1/2 years, I’ve driven my golf cart up to this wooded area and sat with her. I brought her chicken, water, and always came with a heart full of lots of love.

“I’ll never forget, over the summer, she dug a large hole along the fence line to stay cool. One day, I saw her resting in it, and I came ready with a cooling blanket. She backed up and looked at me with pure curiosity. As I turned to walk away, she would inch closer and closer. I then sat at the corner of the fence line and she investigated.

Curiosity Turns to Trust

“Over time, she was curious and she got even closer to me. My heart was so full. I began calling her ‘Princess’ and routinely visited. It didn’t take long for her to come running out of the woods as I called her name. We were both in love. The bond started to grow more and more daily.

“On one of my afternoon visits, I hit the jackpot of joy. I was sitting in the dirt near the opening of the wooded area, and she came right up to me and ate some chicken from my hand. I then started petting her, and it was instant heaven for both of us.

“This poor girl had no human touch for over a decade. She was happy crying as I ran my hands up and down her fur and tickled her cheeks. As I left that day, she was howling and crying. Naturally, I came back to give her more love… immediately.

“The next day, the same thing took place. I made four trips that day. I focused on brushing her, loving on her, and getting her used to a leash. I did this for almost two weeks. After almost two years of working up to this point, I didn’t want to scare her away by pushing too fast.

Her Best Life Yet

“On the morning of Day Nine of lovin’s, I brought her breakfast, and we sat together as I gave her lovin’s for an hour. Over the past nine days, I worked on getting ticks off of her as I petted her, and it continues this day, too. After a few more visits, that day she came home with me and the rest have been focused only on her best life yet.

“I’ve taken Princess to Hilltop Family Vet in Alachua. She will be receiving all of her care there. It brought me to tears as we were in the exam room, and employees came to share their stories of the infamous ‘Ghost Dog’ with me. They shared sightings over the years and expressed so much joy for her rescue.

“Our goal is [to] keep her happy and get her healthy.

“Last week, we received her blood work back. Princess is positive for Ehrlichia, a tick-born disease, and is also heartworm positive. Her kidney values are elevated slightly...most likely due to the Ehrlichia. The treatment is the same. Bonus!

“As I share her story on social media platforms, many have suggested the ‘slow kill’ method (simply using the monthly heart worm prevention). I spoke to Dr. Miller at Hilltop in depth regarding this suggestion. The large risk with this method is that the heart worms will last for very long (years) before they die off. The new growths will be prevented, but as the existing die off, there is a high risk causing a Pulmonary Embolism as they dislodge.

“Given that Princess has been in the wild since around 2014, we estimate she is at least 10-13 years old, and we simply do not have time. Also, we need the treatment to battle the Ehrlichia.

“With that said... Dr Miller suggested a chest x-ray (three views to evaluate her heart size and lungs), and then decide how aggressive we are with the treatments, and if her heart and lungs can handle it. Likely, she can because there is no respiratory distress at this time.

“This leads me to my next point. Dr Hill also recommended keeping Princess and my four kiddos completely separated for three weeks. Why? In order to allow the vaccinations to take effect and to fully rule out respiratory issues.

“It will be a tough three weeks, folks. But, we got this...

Getting Her Healthy

“Monday, at 10 a.m., she will go in for her x-rays, and we will then decide if she is clear to start the tick and heart worm treatment. Total treatment cost is estimated at $2,000. This may change due to the aggressive treatment she may require. It will also be over a one-year span. If we start Monday, what will be due is $300 for the x-rays and $600-$700 for the start of her treatment. That will total $1,000.

“Her needs have totaled $1,246 thus far.

“I’m reaching out to you for two reasons. First and foremost, to help spread the word and inform our community (that has had a huge hand in her survival) that this sweet angel is okay safe, and in a loving home! Secondly, to give the community a chance to follow her Best Life Journey and help facilitate that any way they can.”

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And that is the story of Alachua’s ‘Ghost Dog’ – so far. Trenteseaux has posted updates about her efforts to spread the good news with the community utilizing Nextdoor, Facebook, and Paypal.

Trenteseaux writes, “As you look through the links you’ll notice there has been an overwhelming response from the community thus far. People have shared so many stories of leaving food for her, trying to rescue her, or even protecting her from 441! She is such a large part of our community, and I’d love for this best chapter of her life to continue with the army of residents and business owners that have cared for her over this past decade.”

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Editor’s Note: For those who have been part of this amazing dog’s life, or those individuals who would like to, check out those social media postings, and give a thought to contributing to her medical needs via PayPal Fundraiser at https://www.paypal.com/pools/c/91DC6rxHEB

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Donate to the amazing Princess here:  https://www.paypal.com/pools/c/91DC6rxHEB