Jacksonville, Florida – A federal court has sentenced Ronald Holland, a 46-year-old Jacksonville resident, to 18 years and 9 months in prison for his role in a drug trafficking conspiracy. Senior U.S. District Judge Timothy Corrigan handed down the sentence following Holland's guilty plea on March 26, 2024. In addition to the prison term, Holland was ordered to forfeit $1,500 and multiple firearms seized during the investigation.
Holland led a drug trafficking organization from 2020 to 2023 that distributed methamphetamine and fentanyl throughout Jacksonville. The drugs were sourced from Mexico-based suppliers and transported through Houston, Texas, and Atlanta, Georgia. Holland directed Annette Jones and Janice Strong to distribute these substances from two houses on Verbena Road in Jacksonville.
Federal agents and local law enforcement began investigating Holland's operation in 2022. Between December 2022 and March 2023, agents made several controlled purchases of methamphetamine directly from Strong at one of the Verbena Road houses. They also bought methamphetamine and fentanyl directly from Jones during this period. Agents observed Holland resupplying his associates and participating in drug transactions.
Search warrants executed on March 15, 2023, at Holland's apartment on Harts Road and the Verbena Road houses resulted in significant seizures: approximately 680 grams of cocaine, 173 grams of pure methamphetamine, 130 grams of fentanyl, assorted drug paraphernalia, ammunition, firearms including pistols and rifles with extended magazines, as well as a bulletproof vest.
The investigation revealed that over the course of the conspiracy, Holland was responsible for distributing more than 50 kilograms of pure methamphetamine, over five kilograms of fentanyl, and significant amounts of cocaine. In connection with this case, Annette Jones received a ten-year federal prison sentence after pleading guilty to conspiracy charges involving methamphetamine distribution.
Janice Strong faces an indictment with her trial pending. As per legal standards, an indictment is a formal charge implying no guilt unless proven otherwise.
The investigation involved multiple agencies: Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco Firearms and Explosives (ATF), U.S. Marshals Service (USMS), U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP), Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office (JSO), and Nassau County Sheriff’s Office (NCSO). Assistant United States Attorney Aakash Singh is prosecuting the case.
This prosecution forms part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), an initiative aimed at reducing violent crime by fostering trust between law enforcement agencies and communities while supporting violence prevention efforts.