Birmingham Man Convicted Of Cocaine Trafficking

BIRMINGHAM -- A federal jury late Tuesday convicted a Birmingham man of possession with the intent to distribute a half kilogram of cocaine, announced U.S. Attorney Joyce White Vance and Drug Enforcement Administration Assistant Special Agent in Charge Clay A. Morris.

Following a two-day trial before U.S. District Judge L. Scott Coogler, the jury convicted BINIAM ASGHEDOM, 40, an Eritrean national, of possessing and intending to distribute about a pound of cocaine. Asghedom is scheduled for sentencing June 25.

According to evidence at trial, Birmingham police stopped Asghedom for a traffic violation on Dec. 1, 2010, after federal agents had followed him from a known drug location. Asghedom was one of a number of targets of a larger DEA investigation. After obtaining Asghedom’s consent, officers searched the 2000 GMC Sierra pick-up truck he was driving and found the cocaine and $14,500. Forensic testing later revealed that the outside packaging of the cocaine had two latent fingerprints that matched Asghedom.

“Asghedom’s conviction marks another success in law enforcement’s concerted efforts to eliminate the dangerous street drugs that devastate neighborhoods and fuel violent crime." Vance said.

The DEA investigated the case, which Assistant U.S. Attorney Gregory R. Dimler prosecuted.