Cedrick Deon Hawkins, a 43-year-old resident of Cocoa, Florida, has pleaded guilty to charges involving possession with intent to distribute controlled substances and possession of a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking. The announcement was made by United States Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe. Hawkins is facing a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years and could receive up to life in federal prison. Sentencing is scheduled for November 12, 2025.
Hawkins has agreed to forfeit the firearms and ammunition seized from his residence that were used during the offenses.
Court documents state that between October 2024 and February 2025, Hawkins sold methamphetamine and fentanyl to a confidential source. In April 2025, law enforcement executed a search warrant at his home in Cocoa. During the search, agents found additional quantities of methamphetamine and fentanyl as well as materials used for processing drugs. Five firearms were recovered inside the house, including three rifles and a handgun found in the master bedroom closet, and a loaded pistol discovered in a kitchen cabinet. Authorities also found six more firearms along with ammunition in a pickup truck parked on the property.
The investigation was conducted by the Drug Enforcement Administration and Titusville Police Department, with support from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. Assistant United States Attorney Megan Testerman is prosecuting the case.
“This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results,” according to officials.
