Staff Report
GAINESVILLE, Fla. – Khalil Keari Barnett, aged 30, has been handed a seven-year prison term after admitting guilt to charges of intending to distribute marijuana, possessing a firearm linked to drug trafficking, and unlawfully having a firearm and ammunition. This sentencing was disclosed by John P. Heekin, the United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida.
U.S. Attorney Heekin remarked, “Through the exceptional investigative efforts of the Alachua County Sheriff’s Office and our federal law enforcement collaborators, we’ve successfully removed another violent, drug-distributing criminal from our community. Operation Take Back America was initiated to leverage the full strength of the Department of Justice in eradicating the dangers posed by violent offenders like this defendant. My office remains committed to vigorously prosecuting such individuals until our neighborhoods are safe and free from drugs.”
Initial Arrest
On August 7, 2025, deputies from the Alachua County Sheriff’s Office responded to a domestic battery call, but Barnett had already fled the scene. Upon locating him, he attempted to escape, discarding a firearm and a substantial bag of marijuana in the process.
During the subsequent arrest, officers found approximately 16.4 grams of marijuana and a box containing 13 bullets on Barnett. Additionally, a Glock 42 loaded with six rounds and a shopping bag filled with over a pound of marijuana were discovered along his escape route.
Post Miranda, Barnett reportedly said that he and the victim had engaged in a verbal argument and nothing ever became physical, but he later said he “acted off reflex” to get the victim away from him. He reportedly said he fled because he did not want to “catch a domestic” charge and that he ran when he saw deputies because he knew it was “time to go to jail.” He reportedly said the discarded marijuana was his and that it was all for personal use because he “smokes a lot of weed.”
Barnett was originally charged with possession of marijuana with intent to sell within 1,000 feet of a school/child care facility, two counts of possession of a firearm or ammunition by a convicted felon, possession of a firearm during the commission of a felony, tampering with evidence, battery with a prior battery conviction (a felony), and resisting an officer without violence. He has juvenile convictions between 2008 and 2014, one adult felony conviction (non-violent), and four adult misdemeanor convictions (one violent); he has served one state prison sentence and was released in 2021. The state charges were dropped after the federal indictment.
Sheriff Chad Scott: “We will not allow violent criminals who inflict physical harm, unlawfully possess weapons, and traffic narcotics to roam our streets in search of their next victim.”
Alachua County Sheriff Chad Scott said, “The arrest and subsequent federal conviction of Mr. Barnett is, once again, strong evidence to our community that we will not allow violent criminals who inflict physical harm, unlawfully possess weapons, and traffic narcotics to roam our streets in search of their next victim. As your Sheriff, I stood before this community and made a commitment to keep you safe while you enjoy all that Alachua County has to offer. It is through partnerships like our relationship with the U.S. Attorney’s Office, along with our federal law enforcement partners, that we are able to uphold that promise.”
The conviction and sentence were the result of a joint investigation by the Alachua County Sheriff’s Office, the Drug Enforcement Administration, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. Assistant United States Attorney Christie S. Utt prosecuted the case.
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.
