Convicted Felon Indicted on Federal Gun and Drug Charges in Pensacola

PENSACOLA, Florida — EP Hall, 42, has been indicted in federal court for one count of possession of a firearm and ammunition by a convicted felon and one count of possession of a controlled substance, the U.S. Department of Justice announced Monday.

The indictment, returned in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Florida, targets a single defendant already barred from possessing firearms under 18 U.S.C. § 922(g)(1). Federal law prohibits anyone convicted of a crime punishable by more than one year in prison from owning or possessing any firearm or ammunition.

The controlled-substance count rests on separate evidence of unlawful drug possession recovered during the same investigation.

Scope of the charges is narrow but carries standard federal penalties. A felon-in-possession conviction exposes Hall to up to 10 years in federal prison and a $250,000 fine; if prior qualifying convictions exist, mandatory minimums under the Armed Career Criminal Act can escalate that to 15 years. The drug count adds further sentencing exposure depending on the substance and quantity involved.

The indictment changes Hall’s legal status from uncharged suspect to federally accused defendant. Arraignment and pretrial detention hearings must now be scheduled under the Speedy Trial Act, which generally requires trial within 70 days of indictment unless continuances are granted.

Federal prosecutors will move to detain Hall pending trial, citing both the firearm prohibition and his prior felony record as evidence of danger to the community.

Downstream, the case requires the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Florida to disclose all discovery material, including any body-camera footage, forensic reports on the firearm, and lab results on the controlled substance. A conviction will also activate federal firearms disability reporting to the National Instant Criminal Background Check System, reinforcing the existing prohibition on Hall’s future purchases or possession.

Sentencing will be governed by the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines, which treat prior felony convictions as specific offense characteristics that increase recommended prison time.

This indictment follows standard Department of Justice practice of charging felon-in-possession violations when local arrests uncover both firearms and drugs. The Northern District of Florida has pursued similar cases routinely since the 2022 Bipartisan Safer Communities Act expanded resources for federal gun prosecutions involving prohibited persons.

Primary sources: U.S. Department of Justice