November 18, 2025
PRESS RELEASE
OKALOOSA COUNTY: On November 5th, 2025, an Okaloosa County jury found Malik Humphries guilty of Trafficking in Fentanyl (28 grams or more) and Resisting an Officer Without Violence. He was sentenced to 30 years in prison by the Honorable Lacey Clark, Okaloosa County Circuit Judge. The sentence includes a $500,000 mandatory fine for Trafficking.
On May 2, 2024, a Corporal with the Okaloosa County Sheriff’s Office was on patrol in the area of Miracle Strip Parkway in Mary Esther, investigating a suspected vehicle burglary. As the Corporal slowly drove past he noticed the occupant of the vehicle, later identified as Malik Humphries, lying back in the driver’s seat, peering out of the back driver’s side window. The Corporal exited his vehicle and made contact with Malik Humphries. Humphries was speaking to the Corporal with the driver’s side window closed. Humphries made statements, trying to divert the Corporal’s attention. Based on the totality of the circumstances, Humphries was detained. The Corporal opened the driver’s door and noticed a backpack in the front passenger seat. Shortly after, Humphries fled on foot with the backpack in his hand. The Corporal pursued Humphries before Humphries jumped a fence and ran off. Humphries dropped the backpack, and the Corporal retrieved it from the ground, right where Humphries jumped over the fence. Just over 66 grams of fentanyl pills were found in that backpack. The pills were tested and weighed by the Florida Department of Law Enforcement.
The arrest and investigation were conducted by the Okaloosa County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant State Attorney, Jessica Giardina, with Assistant State Attorney, Rachel Gainer as co-counsel, prosecuted the case on behalf of Ginger Bowden Madden, State Attorney for the First Judicial Circuit of Florida. For more information, please contact Jessica Giardina at (850) 651-7260.
