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Eastern District of Texas
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| FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE | CONTACT: DAVILYN WALSTON | |
| MONDAY, OCTOBER 19, 2009 | PUBLIC INFORMATION OFFICER | |
| HTTP://WWW.USDOJ.GOV/USAO/TXE | DIRECT: (409) 839-2538 CELL: (409) 553-9881 |
PALESTINE, TEXAS MAN GUILTY OF FEDERAL DRUG VIOLATIONS
TYLER, TX – U.S. Attorney John M. Bales announced today that a 26-year-old Palestine, Texas man has pleaded guilty to federal drug violations in the Eastern District of Texas.
BYRON BERNARD BILLUPS pleaded guilty to conspiracy to possess with the intent to distribute more than 50 grams of crack cocaine today before U.S. Magistrate Judge John D. Love.
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. An investigation revealed that Billups and Smith conspired with others to distribute cocaine throughout East Texas from an unknown date until January 2009.
Billups faces up to Life in federal prison at sentencing. A sentencing date has not yet been set. Smith has already pleaded guilty to the same charges and is also awaiting sentencing.
This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Bill Baldwin.
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