A 33-year-old fired state wildlife officer who pleaded guilty to drug trafficking charges could get life in prison and $4 million in fines when a U.S. judge sentences him in Miami on Aug. 14, though prosecutors will ask for more leniency.

Florida Fish and Wildlife Con-servation Commission Officer Jon-athon Scott Jacox's plea agreement asks the court to spare him the maximum punishment and sentence him to the minimum 10 years in prison and five years' parole. The agreement also calls for him to testify against a co-conspirator and act as an undercover operative in other drug investigations.

Jacox pleaded guilty June 5 to: conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute 5 or more kilograms of cocaine and 1 kilogram or more of heroin; attempting to distribute 500 grams or more of cocaine and 1 kilogram or more of heroin; conspiracy to posses a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime; and possession of a firearm in the furtherance of drug trafficking crime.

His co-conspirator, a fired Monroe County Sheriff's Office corrections officer, is set to go to trial July 6 in Miami.

Shawn Michael Hernandez, 33, faces charges of possession with intent to distribute narcotics, conspiracy to traffic narcotics, and possession of a firearm in commission of a felony.

Both men, who remain without bond at the Federal Detention Center in Miami, were arrested April 17. It was the culmination of a 2 1/2-month FBI investigation that began on Feb. 2, when Hernandez allegedly contacted an undercover agent in Homestead about transporting drugs to the Florida Keys.

Hernandez allegedly picked up a kilogram of cocaine and transported it to an undercover agent on Stock Island in exchange for $1,500, according to court documents.

In a second pickup on March 12, he allegedly received 4 kilograms of "cocaine" and 1 kilogram of "heroin" -- the FBI used fake drugs this time -- to transport to Key West, according to court documents. Hernandez allegedly stopped in Big Pine Key, where he met Jacox, who agents say had a small child with him.

Hernandez allegedly called the undercover agent to report he was bringing "armed counter-surveillance to make sure the delivery went smoothly," reports say. Upon arrival in Key West, Jacox exited his vehicle with the child to obtain "visual advantage" over the area, reports say.

The FBI said it paid Hernandez $5,000, from which he was to give Jacox a cut, reports say.

A month later, the undercover agent met with both men and taped their conversation, reports say. They discussed Jacox's role as an armed security guard during the transaction and his knowledge of law enforcement techniques, reports say. Jacox and Hernandez then allegedly agreed to transport 4 kilograms of cocaine and 1 kilogram of heroin to Key West for another $5,000, reports say.

They were arrested after making that run.

Neither was on duty when the alleged crimes took place and both were fired after their arrest, according to Monroe County Sheriff Bob Peryam and wildlife commission spokeswoman Carol Pratt.

alinhardt@keysnews.com