Gainesville Man Sentenced to 15 Years in Prison for First-Degree Felony Drug Trafficking
On July 27, Michael DeAngelo Clayton, 39, was convicted of two counts of first-degree felony drug trafficking, two counts of smuggling contraband into a detention facility and possessing a firearm as a convicted felon.
Facing 85 years in prison, Clayton entered an open no-contest plea. This means there wasn’t a prior negotiated sentencing agreement with prosecutors, and Judge Susanne Wilson Bullard could have imposed several more decades onto Clayton’s prison sentence. She sentenced him to 15 years in prison with a three year minimum mandatory.
Clayton has over two dozen prior felony and misdemeanor adjudications, the majority of which are drug-related, and this will be his 6th Florida prison sentence. According to the Florida Department of Corrections website, he is also known as “Big Mike The Rapper.”
Clayton’s first prison sentence was in 2008, and his most recent release was on March 26, 2024, after he served roughly three years for gun and drug charges.
Clayton’s recent convictions are spread across two cases, one from 2025 and one from 2026.
On November 26, 2025, Clayton reportedly got into an argument with his girlfriend inside of a vehicle and he allegedly grabbed her by the hair and neck, preventing her from leaving. The police report states she broke free and got out of the vehicle, but Clayton started chasing her.
Clayton's girlfriend reportedly ran up to a person (Vic 2) in their car who allowed her to get inside their vehicle. Clayton allegedly went up to the vehicle, opened the door, pulled his girlfriend out and hit her.
GPD charged Clayton with false imprisonment, domestic battery and burglary, and a warrant was issued.
On December 11, 2025, Alachua County Sheriff’s Office (ACSO) deputies booked Clayton into jail on the warrant.
At first appearance, Judge Susan Miller-Jones set the bond at $210,000.
On December 12, 2025, Deputy Taylor Davidson charged Clayton with two counts of smuggling contraband into a secured facility and trafficking 14+ grams of methamphetamine. Davidson reported:
"I responded to [the Alachua County Jail] in reference to The Defendant being in possession of narcotics. The Defendant was identified as Michael DeAngelo Clayton.
During an unclothed search after 1st appearance, jail staff located a white powdery rock like substance and a green leafy substance on The Defendant’s person….
I read The Defendant his Miranda warning from my agency issued prepared text… [He] acknowledged he understood his rights and still wished to speak with me.
Post-Miranda, The Defendant admitted that he concealed the narcotics underneath his waist area. The Defendant denied bringing the narcotics into the facility, he advised he located them in the jail cell between the bench and the wall. The Defendant advised he was going to use the narcotics to put money on his canteen, essentially bartering for money or items. The Defendant identified the green leafy substance as marijuana but denied knowing what the other narcotic was.
Each new arrestee is placed through a scanner prior to entering the facility [and] The Defendant’s [scan] showed a large mass indicating he has narcotics on his person.
I completed a field test and weighed the substances. The white rock like powdery substance weighed 36.4 grams and gave a presumptive positive for methamphetamine with traces of fentanyl. The green leafy substance weighed 4.5 grams.”
Miller-Jones increased Clayton's bond by $150,000 for the charges.
On January 27, 2026, Clayton’s public defender asked the court to reduce the bond.
In February 2026, Judge David Kreider denied the bond reduction motion in the drug case, but ordered recognizance release in the domestic case because prosecutors didn’t file formal charges. Clayton posted the $150,000 bond and prosecutors dropped the domestic case around the same time.
On May 27, 2026, Bullard issued a warrant for Clayton’s arrest due to him not appearing at a case management hearing. The following week, Clayton’s public defender submitted an unopposed motion to quash the warrant, as Clayton suffered from a seizure the same day of the scheduled hearing. Bullard granted the motion.
On July 3, 2026, Clayton was involved in an altercation with Devon Antwan Sowell, 37, leading to both men being arrested the following day. The two were reportedly roommates and were friends for 20 years.
GPD arrested Clayton and charged him with possessing a firearm as a convicted felon and trafficking in cocaine. Police charged Sowell with possessing a firearm as a convicted felon, aggravated assault with intent to commit a felony and probation violation. Officer Jarrell Delancy reported:
“According to [Clayton], the argument began inside the residence after Sowell accused him of smoking his marijuana. [Clayton] denied the accusation and stated the marijuana belonged to him. [Clayton] further stated he possesses a valid medical marijuana card and uses marijuana to treat seizures.
[Clayton] stated that during the argument, Sowell grabbed his wrist. In response, [Clayton] grabbed Sowell by the front of his shirt and ‘jacked him up.’ The physical encounter ended, and the argument continued verbally. [Clayton] advised that he began packing his clothing and other personal belongings in an attempt to de-escalate the situation and leave the residence. Sowell subsequently left the residence in his vehicle. Witness 1... who is [Clayton]’s girlfriend, remained on scene and assisted [Clayton] with gathering his belongings.
[Clayton] stated that after Sowell left, he believed Sowell was gone and continued retrieving his belongings from the residence. [Clayton] advised that Sowell then returned to the residence armed with a firearm. According to [Clayton], Sowell threatened him by stating, ‘I will do it to you,’ while pointing the firearm in his direction. [Clayton] further stated that Sowell racked the slide of the firearm, causing several live rounds to eject onto the ground. [(]There was a live round located in the area by law enforcement[)]. Sowell then left the residence a second time.
Post Miranda, [Clayton] admitted that he was armed with a firearm in his pocket during this initial armed encounter but stated he never removed or displayed the firearm.
[Clayton] advised that after Sowell left the second time, he continued going in and out of the residence to retrieve his belongings because he still intended to leave the location. [Clayton] stated that Sowell returned once again, exited his vehicle while armed with the same firearm, and pointed it at him. [Clayton] stated he attempted to walk upstairs, at which time Sowell told him he was not going [up there, as he] knew there was a firearm normally kept there. According to [Clayton], as he continued walking toward the stairs, Sowell once again pointed the firearm at him.
[Clayton] stated that, fearing for his safety, he removed the firearm from his pocket and fired approximately three rounds in Sowell’s direction. [Clayton] stated he ‘wasn’t going to take any more chances’ after Sowell had previously pointed a firearm at him and racked the slide, ejecting live rounds during the earlier encounter…
[Clayton's girlfriend] advised that the gold-colored vehicle belonged to her and provided verbal consent for law enforcement to search the vehicle for any firearms. During the search, law enforcement located approximately 49.2 grams of crack cocaine on the passenger side of the vehicle.
Post Miranda, [Clayton] admitted that the crack cocaine belonged to him and stated he was not going to allow his ‘girl…’ to take responsibility for the narcotics found inside the vehicle.”
Clayton’s Letter
Clayton wrote a six-page letter to be taken into consideration at his sentencing hearing.
