Nassau deputy charged with possession, intent to distribute drugs

NASSAU COUNTY, Fla. – A deputy with the Nassau County Sheriff’s Office has been charged with possession with intent to distribute controlled substances, the U.S. Attorney for the Middle District of Florida has announced.

James Darrell Hickox, 37, of Callahan, was charged last week by criminal complaint with possession with intent to distribute controlled substances, said United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg.

If convicted, he faces a mandatory minimum penalty of five years, up to 40 years, in federal prison.

According to the criminal complaint, Hickox possessed with intent to distribute cocaine, MDMA, and 40 grams or more of fentanyl.

At the time of his arrest by the FBI on Friday, Hickox had been employed with the Nassau County Sheriff’s Office for 17 years and served as a former Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) Task Force Officer from March 2014 through September 2022.

He was reportedly terminated when he was arrested.

A complaint is merely a charge that a defendant has committed one or more violations of federal criminal law, and every defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.

This case is being investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigation, with assistance from United States Customs and Border Protection. Assistant United States Attorney William Hamilton will prosecute it.

The United States Attorney’s Office, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigation, and United States Customs and Border Protection thank the Nassau County Sheriff’s Office and the Drug Enforcement Administration for their cooperation during this investigation.