Federal charges have been filed in a Florida drive-by shooting on I-95.
U.S. Attorney Roger B. Handberg announced the return of an indictment charging 28-year-old Nathaniel Thomas Hatcher, III, of Jacksonville, and 20-year-old James Toney, also of Jacksonville, with committing a drive-by shooting and discharging a firearm in connection with a crime of violence.
The charges stem from their alleged roles in a shooting that occurred along I-95 in St. Johns, Florida on October 17, 2023.
Hatcher is also charged with conspiring to distribute 1,000 kilograms or more of marijuana, conspiring to straw-purchase firearms in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, making materially false statements during the purchases of firearms, conspiring to commit money laundering, witness tampering, and obstruction of justice. Toney is also charged with conspiring to distribute 100 kilograms or more of marijuana.
In addition, the indictment charges 26-year-old Al’Donta Easterling, of Jacksonville, with conspiring to distribute 100 kilograms or more of marijuana, possession with the intent to distribute a controlled substance, and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime.
If convicted on all counts, Hatcher faces a minimum mandatory penalty of 20 years’ imprisonment, up to two life sentences, plus 115 years. Toney faces a minimum mandatory penalty of 15 years, up to life imprisonment, plus 45 years. Easterling faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years imprisonment, up to life, plus 60 years. All three individuals have been arrested and ordered detained pending trial, which is set for November 4, 2024.
This case is part of an investigation which has led to the arrests of five defendants, including Hatcher, Toney, and Easterling. 28-year-old Desmond Maxwell, of Jacksonville, previously pleaded guilty to conspiring to straw-purchase firearms in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. He faces up to 25 years in federal prison. 28-year-old Yaquasia DelCarmen, also of Jacksonville, previously pleaded guilty to conspiring to distribute 50 kilograms or more of marijuana and conspiring to commit money laundering and faces up to 40 years in federal prison. 21-year-old DayJon Major has been charged with illegally possessing a machinegun and possessing a stolen firearm. Major is currently in state custody.
This case is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten the United States by using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks.
The drive-by shooting on I-95 case is being investigated by Homeland Security Investigations, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigation, the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, the St. Johns County Sheriff’s Office, the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office, the Clay County Sheriff’s Office, and the Florida Highway Patrol.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Aakash Singh and Kirwinn Mike.
