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In Gainesville, Florida, Khalil Keari Barnett, 30, has entered a guilty plea in federal court on several serious charges. These include possession with intent to distribute marijuana, possession of a firearm in connection with drug trafficking, and unlawful possession of both a firearm and ammunition. This development was made public by John P. Heekin, the United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida.
U.S. Attorney Heekin praised the efforts of law enforcement, stating, “Thanks to the exceptional investigative work of the Alachua County Sheriff’s Office and our federal partners, we have successfully removed another violent, drug-peddling criminal from our streets.” He further highlighted the significance of Operation Take Back America, a campaign launched by President Donald J. Trump and Attorney General Pam Bondi, which focuses on leveraging the full power of the Department of Justice to combat threats posed by violent offenders. Heekin emphasized his office’s commitment to continuing aggressive prosecution to ensure community safety and a drug-free environment.
The charges against Barnett stem from an incident on August 7, 2025. Alachua County Sheriff’s Deputies initially responded to a domestic battery call, only to find Barnett no longer present at the scene. Upon locating him, Barnett attempted to flee, discarding a firearm and a large bag of marijuana in the process. This encounter ultimately led to his arrest and subsequent guilty plea.
Original arrest
On August 7, 2025, Alachua County Sheriff’s Deputies responded to a call about a domestic battery, but Barnett was no longer at the scene; when deputies found him, he ran, and deputies saw him discard a firearm and a large bag of marijuana.
A search incident to arrest produced about 16.4 grams of marijuana and a box of ammunition with 13 bullets on Barnett’s person; a Glock 42 with six rounds of ammunition and a shopping bag containing over one pound of marijuana were found along Barnett’s path.
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.