Former NFL Player Sentenced To Seventeen Years In Federal Prison For Role In Drug Trafficking Conspiracy

Tampa, Florida - U.S. District Judge James S. Moody, Jr. today sentenced John Wesley Wilson (48, Zephyrhills), a former wide receiver for the Washington Redskins, to 17 years in federal prison for drug trafficking and firearms offenses. He pleaded guilty on January 18, 2013. The imposed sentence includes 12 years' imprisonment for three drug-related charges, followed by a mandatory consecutive five years in prison for possessing a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking offenses.

According to court documents, from 2009 to 2012, Wilson regularly worked with others in Pasco County to distribute large quantities of cocaine and crack cocaine. In 2009, during the height of his drug trafficking operations, Wilson distributed approximately 100 kilograms of cocaine per month, and profited over $1 million. During a search of Wilson's residence on December 19, 2011, investigators found a quarter-kilogram of cocaine, over an ounce of crack cocaine, a loaded .380 caliber handgun, and a loaded shotgun.

This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Pasco County Sheriff's Office as part of an ongoing Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) investigation. The principal mission of the OCDETF program is to identify, disrupt and dismantle the most serious drug trafficking, weapons trafficking and money laundering organizations, and those primarily responsible for the nation’s illegal drug supply. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Christopher F. Murray.