United States of America v. Ernest Lee Thomas, II

Pensacola, Florida, criminal defense lawyer John Wilkins represented the Defendant charged with possession of a firearm by a convicted felon.

On May 31, 2025, deputies with the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office conducted a traffic stop on a vehicle occupied by the Ernest Lee Thomas II, 35, of Pensacola, Florida. During the traffic stop, a search of the vehicle uncovered a loaded black .45-caliber Taurus handgun with a round in the chamber and five rounds in the magazine. While speaking with law enforcement, the defendant made statements indicating the firearm belonged to him. The defendant had previously been convicted in the Northern District of Florida of Distribution of Cocaine and Possession of Stolen Firearms.

The defendant faces up to fifteen years’ imprisonment followed by a term of supervised release.

This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Christopher C. Patterson.

Sentencing is scheduled for March 24, 2026, at 9:00 am at the United States Courthouse in Pensacola, Florida before United States District Judge T. Kent Wetherell, II.

This case is part of Operation Take Back America a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.

The Defendant elected to plead guilty.