Attorney General James Uthmeier announced that Armaund Sims, 44, of Fernandina Beach, has been convicted of trafficking in cocaine. The conviction was secured by the Office of Statewide Prosecution.
“This outcome speaks to the tireless work of our statewide prosecutors, who relentlessly pursued justice in this case,” said Attorney General James Uthmeier. “Thanks to Senior Assistant Statewide Prosecutor Johnna Lessard and Chief Assistant Statewide Prosecutor Kelsey Bledsoe, this criminal will be held accountable for trafficking dangerous drugs into our communities.”
The incident began on October 11, 2023, when Sims fled a lawful traffic stop conducted by Florida Highway Patrol officers. This led to a high-speed chase during which Sims crossed a median and crashed into another vehicle. Authorities later found two kilograms of cocaine near the crash site.
Sims was first tried in February 2025. At that time, a Duval County jury found him guilty of fleeing or attempting to elude law enforcement and sentenced him to five years in prison. However, the jury could not reach a verdict on the trafficking charge.
In October 2025, prosecutors from the Office of Statewide Prosecution retried Sims on the trafficking charge and obtained a conviction. These prosecutors were also cross-designated as Assistant State Attorneys for the Fourth Judicial Circuit.
The investigation involved both the Department of Homeland Security and the Clay County Sheriff’s Office. Sims has several previous felony drug convictions. He is scheduled for sentencing later this month and faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 15 years in prison.
