Tampa, Florida – U.S. District Judge Steven D. Merryday today sentenced Calfus W. Drummond (37, Gulfport) to 11 years and 6 months in federal prison for possession with the intent to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl; 500 grams or more of methamphetamine; cocaine and marijuana; and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. Drummond had pleaded guilty on December 7, 2021. This federal sentence is to run consecutive to a 7-year prison sentence that a state court previously imposed on Drummond for possession of cocaine with the intent to distribute. The court also ordered Drummond to forfeit a Glock 19 pistol, Romrarm/Cuigar Draco pistol, Iver Johnson revolver, FIE E22 pistol, Glock 17 pistol, Ruger P90 pistol and 177 rounds of ammunition.
According to court documents, on October 9, 2018, Drummond pleaded nolo contendere to a 10-count Information in state court in Manatee County. The state charges that Drummond had pleaded to include possession of cocaine with the intent to distribute. Drummond was on bond when he pleaded guilty and later failed to appear for his sentencing, becoming a fugitive.
On February 4, 2021, law enforcement officers located Drummond at a hotel in Manatee County. The officers detained Drummond as he was getting into his car. The officers recovered a loaded firearm from the passenger seat of the car. The firearm was located underneath a backpack that officers had observed Drummond carrying. The officers searched the backpack and discovered 15 grams of fentanyl, 13.8 grams of methamphetamine, and 57 grams of cocaine. The officers also recovered four pounds of marijuana from inside Drummond’s car. More than $6,700.00 was seized from Drummond’s person during a search incident to arrest.
On that same day, subsequent to Drummond’s arrest, law enforcement officers executed a search warrant at Drummond’s residence and located two bags near Drummond’s front door. One bag contained three firearms, 35 grams of cocaine, 2 grams of fentanyl, and 210 grams of methamphetamine. The second bag contained nearly 1,890 grams of fentanyl and 115 grams of marijuana. Officers also officer recovered $9,836, a Ruger 45, and ammunition from Drummond’s bedroom, an additional 29 grams of fentanyl, 349 grams of methamphetamine, and 116 grams of marijuana were located inside the home. Two firearms and assorted ammunition were recovered from a shed located the back of the residence.
This case was investigated by the Manatee County Sheriff’s Office and the Drug Enforcement Administration. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Charlie D. Connally.
This case was prosecuted as part of the joint federal, state, and local Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) Program, the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.