Cocaine Ring Leader from Maine Captured by U.S. Marshals Task Force in Pensacola

PENSACOLA, FL - The U.S. Marshals North Florida Violent Fugitive Task Force, along with the Florida Highway Patrol, and Escambia County Sheriff’s Office apprehended Efstathios Mihalakis, aka “Steve Mihalakis” at 3:30 p.m. today. Mihalakis, 26, is the alleged leader of sixteen others in a major cocaine conspiracy. Mihalakis was the last one to be arrested in a forty count federal indictment, alleging the distribution of over 500 grams of cocaine. The local Marshals Task Force was contacted earlier today by the Marshals Central Maine Violent Crimes Task Force in Portland, Maine. The Maine Task Force adopted the Organized Crime and Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) case and had been working with the local Drug Enforcement Agency. The Marshals in Maine had provided information to their counterparts here that Mihalakis was traveling through Florida and had passed through Defuniak Springs on I-10 heading westbound. The only other information that the local law enforcement agencies had to work with is that he was traveling in a Green 1998 Plymouth with New Jersey license plates. The make and model were unknown. The Marshals and FHP positioned themselves along I-10 in both Santa Rosa and Escambia counties. Eventually, a Green Plymouth Mini Van bearing what appeared to be New Jersey plates was spotted by one of the deputy Marshals. Once the vehicle was spotted in Escambia County, Task Force Marshals requested further assistance from the sheriff’s office.

“Even though I was looking more so for a car, when I saw the Jersey plates I was sure it was him,” said Deputy Marshal Steve Weathersby, assigned to the Pensacola Marshals task force.

Mihalakis was followed by the task force, FHP, and sheriff’s deputies as the vehicle exited off the interstate and headed south on I-110. Shortly there after law enforcement conducted a felony traffic stop along with Escambia County’s Air Unit on I-110. Mihalakis was a passenger in the vehicle who was traveling with two others. Mihalakis was arrested without incident and brought to the Escambia County Jail. The driver and other passenger were questioned and released with no active warrants. Mihalakis stated that he was in Florida on vacation and that they had gotten off the interstate to get something to eat. Mihalakis is being held tonight in the county jail pending arraignment before a federal magistrate judge tomorrow. He may also have an identity hearing before being extradited back to Maine. If convicted, Mihalakis faces a minimum of ten years and a maximum of life in a federal prison.