TALLAHASSEE, Fla. — A Tallahassee man with multiple prior felony convictions has been sentenced to seven years in federal prison after investigators said they found a gun and “molly” inside his vehicle during a traffic stop.
Christopher Adams Jr., 34, of Tallahassee, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Mark E. Walker to seven years in federal prison for possession with intent to distribute synthetic cathinone, possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug-trafficking offense, and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. The sentence was announced Thursday, Aug. 27, 2026, by John P. Heekin, United States attorney for the Northern District of Florida.
“Thanks to this successful prosecution by my office, this serial felon will be kept off our streets for several years,” Heekin said. “Anyone who thinks they can peddle poisonous drugs in the Northern District of Florida should be on notice that our state and federal law enforcement partners are coming for them, and my office will send them to federal prison.”
According to court documents, the Tallahassee Police Department encountered Adams as the driver of a vehicle with a stolen tag and illegal window tint. An officer said they could smell the odor of synthetic cathinone, described as “molly,” coming from inside the vehicle and conducted a search.
Investigators said the officer found a pistol in the driver’s side door pocket. Directly next to the handgun was a zippered pouch about the size of a makeup bag that contained an ounce and a half of synthetic cathinone split into one large bag and multiple smaller baggies, along with small unused baggies typically used by street-level drug dealers. Court documents say Adams acknowledged ownership of the “molly” in the car and knowing the firearm was present.
Adams was prohibited from possessing firearms because of multiple prior felony convictions for armed burglary, drug trafficking and firearm offenses, according to court documents. He has been to prison on four separate occasions, with his longest prior sentence being five years.
The case involved an investigation by the Tallahassee Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney James A. McCain.