A Florida drug trafficker, Samantha Jean James, received 15 years in state prison last week as a Habitual Felony Offender (HFO) for multiple narcotics charges. The 28-year-old has a history of arrests dating back to 2016 and was sentenced in connection with three separate drug cases.
James pleaded straight to the court, waiving her right to a jury trial. The court adjudicated her guilty on all three cases and imposed concurrent sentences.
The most severe sentences, each 15 years as an HFO, stem from Trafficking in Methamphetamine charges:
In the first case, James sold 28 grams or more of meth to a confidential informant. She received a $100,000 fine and a 6-month driver’s license suspension.
In the second case, she sold 14 grams or more of meth, resulting in a $50,000 fine and another 6-month license suspension.
The third case involved sales of methamphetamine to both a confidential informant and an undercover law enforcement officer. James received 15-year HFO sentences for Possession with Intent to Sell or Deliver and Sale or Delivery of a Controlled Substance, plus a 10-year HFO sentence for Unlawful Use of a Communication Device.
All prison terms will run concurrently, resulting in a total incarceration of 15 years. She also received credit for 338 days served on a Possession of Paraphernalia charge.
Assistant State Attorney Nolan Deming prosecuted the cases, which were investigated by the Charlotte County Sheriff’s Office Narcotics Division. James currently faces an additional pending drug trafficking case. Her most recent arrest for these charges occurred on March 24, 2025.
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