Staff Report

GAINESVILLE, Fla. – Khalil Keari Barnett, aged 30, has entered a guilty plea in a federal courtroom for charges related to the possession of marijuana with the intent to distribute, possession of a firearm during a drug trafficking crime, and illegal possession of both a firearm and ammunition. This announcement was made by John P. Heekin, the United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida.

U.S. Attorney Heekin stated, “Thanks to the exceptional investigative efforts of the Alachua County Sheriff’s Office alongside our federal law enforcement colleagues, another violent, drug-dealing criminal has been taken off our streets. President Donald J. Trump and Attorney General Pam Bondi initiated Operation Take Back America to leverage the full force of the Department of Justice in eliminating threats posed by violent offenders like this one. My office remains committed to aggressively prosecuting these individuals until our communities are secure and free from drugs.”

Details of the Arrest

The incident occurred on August 7, 2025, when deputies from the Alachua County Sheriff’s Office responded to a report of domestic battery. By the time deputies arrived, Barnett had left the scene. Upon locating him, Barnett attempted to flee, during which officers observed him discarding a firearm and a substantial quantity of marijuana.

Upon arrest, authorities discovered approximately 16.4 grams of marijuana and a box containing 13 bullets on Barnett. Additionally, a Glock 42 with six rounds and a shopping bag containing over a pound of marijuana were recovered from the route Barnett had taken.

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.

Barnett faces up to life imprisonment on the combined possession with intent to distribute and firearm possession charges.   

The case involved a joint investigation by the Alachua County Sheriff’s Office, the Drug Enforcement Administration, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Christie S. Utt.

Sentencing for is scheduled for April 28, 2026, at 2:30 pm, at the United States Courthouse in Gainesville, Florida before Chief United States District Judge Allen C. Winsor.

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.