JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — Braden Huston Hobbs, 28, of Ponte Vedra, has been sentenced to nine years in federal prison for his involvement in firearm trafficking, controlled substance distribution, and making false statements to a licensed firearms dealer.
Hobbs was investigated after several firearms he purchased were recovered during separate law enforcement investigations of drug dealers and a convicted felon.
Hobbs operated without a federal firearms dealer license, as required by federal law, and generated more than $200,000 in illegal proceeds in less than 36 months.
Between March 2022 and June 2024, Hobbs purchased at least 121 firearms from three federally licensed firearms dealers in Jacksonville. Sixty-seven of those firearms were bought between January and June 2024.
Hobbs sold these firearms to customers, often for cash and sometimes traded them for drugs. Hobbs was aware that some of his customers intended to resell the firearms, were drug users, or were drug distributors.
Hobbs made false statements on the required ATF Form 4473, indicating he was the actual buyer and not a user of or addicted to controlled substances. He was a habitual user of controlled substances and distributed them, including more than 500 grams of cocaine and Adderall, often to the same individuals to whom he sold firearms.
Hobbs was arrested on June 26, 2024, by the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office for driving under the influence and trafficking in cocaine. A search of his car recovered more than 200 grams of cocaine and 17 grams of Adderall, along with various items used for packaging and distributing controlled substances.
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