A federal jury in Pensacola, Florida, has convicted Austin James McCastler II, 36, on multiple charges including two counts of methamphetamine distribution, possession with intent to distribute fentanyl and marijuana, firearm offenses related to drug trafficking, assaulting a Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) Special Agent with a deadly weapon, and discharging a firearm during a violent crime. The verdict was announced by John Heekin, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida.
“This case exemplified the extreme dangers faced by the brave men and women of law enforcement who put their lives on the line every day to keep our communities safe from violent criminals. I am incredibly proud of the outstanding trial work by the talented prosecutors in my office that resulted in this successful verdict,” said US Attorney Heekin.
According to evidence presented at trial, undercover officers purchased methamphetamine from McCastler’s residence in Pensacola on two occasions. Law enforcement then obtained a search warrant for his home. On March 7, 2025, while attempting to execute the warrant, McCastler refused to surrender and armed himself with an American Tactical Imports assault rifle. As police surrounded his house, he fired shots—including one aimed at a DEA Special Agent—before fleeing in his vehicle. The Escambia County Sheriff’s Office pursued him in a high-speed chase that ended when deputies immobilized his car. McCastler tried to escape on foot but was apprehended. A subsequent search found firearms, ammunition, fentanyl, marijuana and other items at his residence.
McCastler is scheduled for sentencing on February 10, 2026 before United States District Judge M. Casey Rodgers. With more than five prior state felony convictions, he faces up to life imprisonment.
The investigation involved several agencies: Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; Drug Enforcement Administration; Florida Department of Law Enforcement; Escambia County Sheriff’s Office; Pensacola Police Department; and Santa Rosa County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant United States Attorneys David L. Goldberg and Jessica S. Etherton prosecuted the case.
This prosecution is part of Operation Take Back America (https://www.justice.gov/dag/media/1393746/dl?inline), an initiative led by the Department of Justice that aims to combat illegal immigration and eliminate cartels as well as transnational criminal organizations through coordinated efforts involving Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).
The United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Florida serves as one of 94 offices nationwide under the direction of the Attorney General. Additional public court documents can be accessed through the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Florida website or by visiting http://www.justice.gov/usao/fln/index.html.
