Jacksonville Six Block gang members face minimum of 10 years in federal prison for armed drug trafficking

Al’Donta Easterling, 26, of Jacksonville, has pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute and possess with the intent to distribute over 100 kilograms of marijuana, along with possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. Easterling, a member of the Six Block street gang, now faces a minimum mandatory sentence of 10 years and up to life in federal prison. A sentencing date has not yet been set.

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The plea agreement revealed that Easterling was an armed distributor for a drug trafficking organization (DTO) operating between California and Jacksonville from October 2022 through July 2024. Easterling and his co-conspirators regularly traveled to California to acquire large quantities of marijuana, which they smuggled back to Jacksonville via commercial flights or through the mail. Once in Jacksonville, they sold the drugs from short-term rental properties, while routinely carrying firearms to protect their operations and profits.

Federal agents seized more than 100 kilograms of marijuana during the investigation. On May 22, 2024, Easterling was arrested by Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office detectives after they found a pound of marijuana and a loaded Glock pistol in his vehicle.

The investigation involved multiple law enforcement agencies, including Homeland Security Investigations, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the FBI, and local sheriff’s offices. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Aakash Singh and Kirwinn Mike are prosecuting the case as part of the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) initiative. The OCDETF targets high-level drug traffickers and criminal organizations using a coordinated, multi-agency approach.

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