Tallahassee Man Sentenced To Ten Years In Prison For Firearm and Drug Related Offenses

TALLAHASSEE, FLORIDA – Matthew Burgess, Jr., 33, of Tallahassee, Florida, was sentenced Friday to ten years imprisonment for possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine, possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking offense, and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. Jason R. Coody, Acting United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida, announced the sentence.

“Methamphetamine and a sawed off shotgun in the hands of a convicted felon is a menacing and potentially deadly combination, and the United States Attorney’s Office is committed to making sure such dangerous criminals are sentenced appropriately,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Coody. “Our law enforcement partners at the Leon County Sheriff’s Office did an outstanding job in concert with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives to bring this armed drug trafficker to justice.”

In January of 2020, Burgess was wanted by local authorities based on outstanding warrants. Leon County Sheriff’s Deputies located and arrested Burgess at a hotel in Tallahassee.  During the arrest, deputies noted the presence of drugs and obtained a search warrant for the hotel room, which led to the discovery of methamphetamine, and a sawed off 12-gauge shotgun hidden under the mattress of the bed.

After Burgess’s arrest, his case was adopted for federal prosecution by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF) as part of the Tallahassee Gun Violence Initiative.  

“Our law enforcement partnerships play such a vital role in fighting violent crime and protecting the public,” said ATF Special Agent in Charge, Craig W. Saier, “This sentencing is another example that working jointly with our partners is making our communities safer.”

In December of 2020, Burgess pled guilty to charges of possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine, possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking offense, and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. This sentencing resulted from the collaborative efforts of the Leon County Sheriff’s Office and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. 

 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.