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Press Release

Houston Man Sentenced For Firearms Violations In East Texas

For Immediate Release
U.S. Attorney's Office, Eastern District of Texas

Department of Justice
Office of Public Affairs

                BEAUMONT, Texas – A 29-year-old Houston man has been sentenced to federal prison for firearms violations in the Eastern District of Texas, announced U.S. Attorney John M. Bales today. 

              Michael John Pereira pleaded guilty on Oct. 3, 2012, to possession of a firearm during a drug trafficking crime and was sentenced to 60 months in federal prison today by U.S. District Judge Ron Clark.

                According to information presented in court, from 2008 to June 20, 2012, Donald Dixon (Dixon), a.k.a. “Black”, Cedrick Fowler, a.k.a. “C” and “C-Murder” (C. Fowler), Kerry Wayne Griffin (Griffin), a.k.a. “Big Boy”, Omar Paunetto, Jose Angel Bustillos, Michael John Pereira, Rodney Stevenson (Stevenson), a.k.a. “Arod”, Darius Thorn (Thorn), a.k.a. “Bs” and “Beez”, Tremaine Smith (Smith) and Anthony Fowler (A. Fowler) conspired to traffic cocaine and "crack" cocaine base throughout East Texas. 

                Pereira's role in the organization was to work at the direction of Dixon.  Pereira’s job was to provide protection for Dixon when drug transactions were occurring.  On April 30, 2012, agents conducted surveillance of a controlled purchase of 2 kilograms of cocaine.  During the course of the investigation, officers conducted a stop on Pereira's vehicle and found him in possession of multiple firearms and ammunition, including:

-A Sig Sauer, Sig 516, carbine assault rifle, serial number 20A009905;
-A S&W, M&P, assault rifle, serial number 93683;
-A Colt, Anaconda, .44 caliber gun, serial number MM31387;
-A S&W, SW9VE pistol, serial number DUY4897;
-A Two S&W magazines for a 9mm firearm; two Aris magazines with a 30-round capacity;
-A 29-round Glock magazine;
-A .45 caliber Clock magazine;
-A Two 100-round capacity drum magazines for an assault rifle; and
-Assorted ammunition.

              On June 20, 2012, a federal grand jury returned a 10-count indictment charging 10 defendants, including Pereira, with multiple violations. 

                This case is the result of an ongoing Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) joint investigation.  The principal mission of the OCDETF program is to identify, disrupt and dismantle the most serious drug trafficking, weapons trafficking and money laundering organizations, and those primarily responsible for the nation’s illegal drug supply. 

                This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Nacogdoches Police Department, and the Nacogdoches County Sheriff’s Office and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Baylor Wortham.

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Updated March 12, 2015