Attorney General James Uthmeier announced that Armaund Sims, 44, of Fernandina Beach, has been convicted of trafficking in cocaine. The conviction was secured by the Office of Statewide Prosecution following a retrial.
“This outcome speaks to the tireless work of our statewide prosecutors, who relentlessly pursued justice in this case,” said Attorney General James Uthmeier. “Thanks to Senior Assistant Statewide Prosecutor Johnna Lessard and Chief Assistant Statewide Prosecutor Kelsey Bledsoe, this criminal will be held accountable for trafficking dangerous drugs into our communities.”
The incident began on October 11, 2023, when Sims fled from a lawful traffic stop conducted by Florida Highway Patrol officers. He led law enforcement on a high-speed chase, crossed a median, and eventually crashed into another vehicle. Officers later found two kilograms of cocaine near the crash site.
Sims was first tried in February 2025 in Duval County and found guilty of fleeing or attempting to elude law enforcement. He received a five-year prison sentence for that charge; however, the jury could not reach a verdict on the trafficking charge at that time.
Prosecutors retried Sims in October 2025 as cross-designated Assistant State Attorneys for the Fourth Judicial Circuit and secured a conviction for trafficking in cocaine.
The investigation involved both the Department of Homeland Security and the Clay County Sheriff’s Office. Sims has several prior felony drug convictions and now faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 15 years in prison. Sentencing is scheduled for later this month.
