https://weartv.com/news/local/pensacola-club-shooting-suspect-now-faces-federal-money-laundering-drug-charges
PENSACOLA, Fla. -- Pensacola is now also facing several federal charges, including money laundering and drug trafficking involving hundreds of thousands of dollars.
Jovon Booker of Pensacola was indicted in federal court last week on charges of:
conspiracy to distribute a controlled substance
possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking offense
conspiracy to commit money laundering
money laundering through high-end jewelry purchases
possession with intent to distribute a controlled substance
He's being held in Santa Rosa County Jail without bond for the U.S. Marshals Service.
Court records show the alleged crimes began in January 2020. No other details have been released about the federal charges.
US Marshals arrested Booker on July 25.
Prior to the federal charges, Booker was already facing an attempted first-degree murder charge for the May 2024 shooting inside Paparazzi night club in Pensacola.
Police arrested Booker on May 15, 2024, on accusations of shooting a 36-year-old man three times inside the club. A woman was also grazed by a bullet.
Police charged him with attempted second-degree murder, as the victim survived the shooting, as well as aggravated battery and two gun charges. Booker then posted $355,000 bond and was released from Escambia County Jail on May 29.
In late August 2024, authorities upgraded the charge to attempted first-degree murder and re-arrested him on September 11, 2024. Booker again posted bond -- the amount unspecified -- and was released from jail on Sept. 26, 2024.
Booker had been out of jail on Pre-Trial Bond Release until being arrested by US Marshals in late July.
Booker made his first court appearance for the federal charges last Thursday. Court records show his next trial date for the Pensacola club shooting is Sept. 24.
In the US Attorney's Office press release, authorities included Booker's musical artist name, "Playa Pat." His official YouTube page shows eight music videos, with multiple garnering over 100,000 views. The latest video was released in March 2025 amid his attempted murder case.
