BY IRIS B. HOLTON
Sentinel City Editor
On Thursday, a federal judge sentenced the last of ten individuals to federal prison for distribution of drugs. A task force consisting of members of the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, culminated an eleven-month investigation with the arrests of 54 suspects on state and federal charges. Ten of those faced federal charges. The investigation focused on an apartment complex at 14102 N. 20th Street.
Federal Judge Elizabeth A. Kovachevich sentenced Jaris Youngblood, 34, to 15 years and 8 months. He was the final defendant in “Operation Pandora’s Box.”
The investigation targeted two career criminals and led to the identification of dozens of others who were charged with crimes that included dealing in crack, powered cocaine, marijuana, pills, methamphetamines, selling of weapons, and prostitution, as well as other crimes.
The other nine defendants who received federal prison time were: Zavien Brand, 29, was sentenced to 31 years. He was charged with distributing crack cocaine, being a felon in possession of a firearm, and possessing a firearm during an in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime.
Cuwissie Hamilton, 34, was sentenced to 16 years for distributing 28 grams or more of crack cocaine.
Bruce Kenyon Davis, 32, was charged with distributing crack cocaine. He was sentenced to 15 years and 8 months.
Victor Milliner, 25, was sentenced to 15 years. He was charged with distributing crack cocaine, and being a felon in possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime.
Terrill LaDaja Gainous, 32, and Tyrone Flowers, 50, were both charged with distributing crack cocaine. Gainous was sentenced to 10 years and 10 months and Flowers was sentenced to 10 years in prison.
Kenneth Wayne Richardson, 46, and Shay John, 39, were also charged with distributing crack cocaine. Richardson was sentenced to 7 years and 1 month and John was sentenced to 5 years and 10 months.
Kimoy Prince, 22, was sentenced to 5 years and 10 months for distributing cocaine base. Aaron Petrus, 27, of Jacksonville, was sentenced to 4 years and 3 months for distributing crack cocaine.
Hillsborough County Sheriff David Gee said, “These arrests are another example of the positive results by local and federal agents working together to remove individuals off of our streets.”
