TALLAHASSEE, Fla. — A Marianna man is facing decades in federal prison after pleading guilty to drug and gun charges stemming from a Florida Highway Patrol traffic stop in March 2024.

Michael Dontavious James, 34, pleaded guilty in federal court in Tallahassee to possession with intent to distribute controlled substances, possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking offense, and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. The plea was announced by John P. Heekin, the U.S. attorney for the Northern District of Florida.

“Keeping dangerous career criminals off our streets remains a top priority for my office. We will aggressively prosecute these cases until our citizens have the safe, drug-free communities they deserve,” Heekin said.

According to court documents, a Florida Highway Patrol trooper stopped James on March 2, 2024, and smelled the odor of fresh green marijuana while approaching the vehicle. When asked whether there were any weapons in the vehicle, James looked toward the front passenger windshield area and said no, court documents said.

During a search, law enforcement found a black bag secured to a black hose connected to the engine, according to court documents. The bag contained 0.3 grams of alpha PiHP, 1.98 grams of methamphetamine and 15.9 grams of cocaine base, along with two 9mm firearms with loaded magazines and a bullet in each chamber.

James is a convicted felon and is prohibited from possessing firearms, authorities said.

James faces up to 20 years in prison on the controlled substances count, up to 15 years for the felon-in-possession count, and a consecutive mandatory minimum sentence of five years for possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime.

The case involved a joint investigation by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Florida Highway Patrol. Assistant U.S. attorneys Jessica Etherton and Eric Welch are prosecuting the case.

Sentencing is scheduled for Nov. 16, 2026, at 10 a.m. at the United States Courthouse in Tallahassee before Chief U.S. District Judge Allen Winsor.

The case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods, a Department of Justice initiative that coordinates federal, state, local and tribal law enforcement and prosecutors to combat violent crime and address public safety challenges.