PONTE VEDRA BEACH, Fla. – A licensed real estate agent from Ponte Vedra Beach has pleaded guilty to conspiracy to traffic firearms, making a materially false statement to a licensed firearms dealer, and conspiracy to distribute controlled substances, including 500 grams or more of cocaine.
Braden Hobbs, 27, faces up to 15 years in federal prison for the conspiracy offense, up to 10 years’ imprisonment for the false statement offense, and a minimum of 5 years, up to 40 years, in federal prison for the drug offense. His sentencing hearing has not yet been scheduled.
According to federal investigators, between March of 2022 and June of last year, Hobbs purchased more than 120 firearms from three different federally licensed gun dealers in Jacksonville, then illegally sold those guns on the street to drug dealers, drug traffickers, and convicted felons…