Convicted felon charged with federal drug and gun offenses

Staff report

GAINESVILLE, Fla. – Quardarell Henry Robinson, 38, has been indicted in federal court for manufacturing crack cocaine, possessing with the intent to distribute multiple controlled substances, possessing a firearm during a drug-trafficking crime, and possessing multiple firearms as a convicted felon. John P. Heekin, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida announced the charges.

Robinson appeared in federal court for his arraignment before United States Magistrate Judge Midori Lowry in Gainesville, Florida. Jury trial is scheduled for June 17, 2026, at 8:30 am before Chief District Court Judge Allen C. Winsor.

Original arrest

At about noon on February 23, Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) agents were conducting surveillance on Robinson’s apartment at The Reserve at Kanapaha (4440 SW Archer Road) and saw Robinson enter a pickup truck, holding a small black handbag.

A short time later, DEA agents followed the truck onto SW 41st Boulevard (Fred Bear Drive), and the truck turned into Fred Bear Archery (4600 SW 41st Blvd). At about 1:02 p.m., an FHP Trooper saw the truck leaving Fred Bear Archery, initiated a felony traffic stop, and detained Robinson.

A search of the woods behind the parking lot at Bear Archery reportedly produced a black Glock 22 with 10 rounds in the magazine.

A witness who was parked on the west shoulder of Fred Bear Road, just north of Bear Archery, reportedly told a DEA Agent that he saw a black object fly out of the passenger side of a truck before the truck turned. The agent reportedly found a small black handbag in the ditch on the side of the road that appeared to be the same size as the bag agents saw when Robinson got into the truck.

A search of the bag reportedly produced about 44.9 grams of crack cocaine, 1.5 grams of cocaine, 21 small individual bags that totaled about 70 grams of marijuana, two industrial bags containing about 17.2 grams of suspected marijuana, four industrial bags containing about 20.2 grams of suspected marijuana, two gabapentin capsules, “numerous” empty baggies, and an electronic scale.

In addition to the federal indictment, Robinson is facing state charges of has been charged with cocaine trafficking, possession of a controlled substance with intent to sell, and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon.

Robinson faces up to life imprisonment

Robinson faces up to life imprisonment for possessing a firearm during a drug-trafficking crime, at least 5 years of which must be consecutive to any other sentence. Robinson also faces up to thirty years’ imprisonment for each of the controlled substance offenses and up to 15 years’ imprisonment for possession of a firearm by a convicted felon.

The case was jointly investigated by the Drug Enforcement Agency, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, and Florida Highway Patrol. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Adam Hapner and James A. McCain.

An indictment is merely an allegation by a grand jury that a defendant has committed a violation of federal criminal law and is not evidence of guilt. All defendants are presumed innocent and entitled to a fair trial, during which it will be the government’s burden to prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt at trial.

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.