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Eastern District of Texas
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| FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE | CONTACT: DAVILYN WALSTON | |
| WEDNESDAY, MARCH 24, 2010 | PUBLIC INFORMATION OFFICER | |
| http://www.usdoj.gov/usao/txe | CELL: (409) 553-9881 DIRECT: (409) 981-7902 |
PALESTINE, TEXAS MAN SENTENCED FOR FEDERAL DRUG VIOLATIONS
TYLER, Texas – U.S. Attorney John M. Bales announced today that a 26-year-old Palestine, Texas man has been sentenced to federal prison for federal drug violations in the Eastern District of Texas.
BYRON BERNARD BILLUPS pleaded guilty on Oct. 19, 2009, to conspiracy to possess with the intent to distribute more than 50 grams of crack cocaine and possession of a firearm during a drug trafficking crime and was sentenced to 188 months in federal prison on Mar. 23, 2010, by U.S. District Judge Michael H. Schneider.
According to information presented in court, on Sept. 1, 2007, Billups and co-defendant, Justin Smith, were transporting 248 grams of crack cocaine and 221 grams of cocaine from Dallas to East Texas for distribution when they were stopped in Kemp, Texas. Billups was in possession of a firearm during the drug transactions. An investigation revealed that Billups and Smith conspired with others to distribute cocaine through East Texas from an unknown date until January 2009. Smith was sentenced to 100 months in federal prison on Nov. 7, 2009.
This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Bill Baldwin.
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