In a decision that underscores the persistent issue of drug trafficking and firearms possession within the community, Senior U.S. District Judge Harvey E. Schlesinger has handed down a 12-year prison sentence to Jacksonville resident Nicholas High, age 38. High’s incarceration will be followed by a three-year term of supervised release for his role in a cocaine distribution conspiracy and illegal possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, as reported by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Florida.
Details provided by court records indicate that, during the years 2022 and 2023, High, along with accomplices, distributed cocaine to a confidential informant working for the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF). High sold the informant ounce quantities of the drug, including a sale of a Bushmaster .223 caliber rifle, despite being prohibited from possessing firearms due to his prior felony convictions. These convictions also led to High being categorized as a career offender, enhancing the severity of his sentence.
The investigation into High’s activities was a cooperative effort involving the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office and the ATF. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Frank Talbot, demonstrating the system’s intent to address serious criminal acts with appropriate legal measure. High’s guilty plea came on June 18, setting the stage for his recent sentencing…