Willie Curtis Slack Jr., a 49-year-old resident of Milton, Florida, has pleaded guilty in federal court to two counts of possession of firearms and ammunition by a convicted felon. The announcement was made by John P. Heekin, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida.
U.S. Attorney Heekin stated: “Thanks to the excellent work of the Santa Rosa County Sheriff’s Office and the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office, supported by our federal law enforcement partners, this violent career criminal has been removed from our streets. My office stands ready to aggressively prosecute these repeat offenders to keep our communities safe.”
According to court documents, during a traffic stop in October 2023, officers discovered and confiscated a loaded pistol and marijuana from Slack’s waistband. Later in December 2024, authorities seized two more firearms and bulk ammunition that Slack had knowingly possessed earlier that year. Before these incidents, Slack had prior felony convictions including batteries, resisting an officer with violence, aggravated assault by threat, and multiple drug sale and trafficking offenses. Due to his record under the Armed Career Criminal Act, Slack faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 15 years in prison for each count and could receive up to life imprisonment.
Sentencing is scheduled for January 13, 2026, at the United States Courthouse in Pensacola before Judge T. Kent Wetherell II.
The investigation involved the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives as well as the Santa Rosa County Sheriff’s Office with assistance from the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant United States Attorney Alicia Forbes is prosecuting the case.
This prosecution is part of Operation Take Back America, an initiative aimed at combating illegal immigration and eliminating cartels and transnational criminal organizations while protecting communities from violent crime.
The United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Florida is one of 94 offices serving as principal litigators under the direction of the Attorney General. More information about public court documents can be found on the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Florida website. Additional details about the office are available at http://www.justice.gov/usao/fln/index.html.
