United States Attorney
Northern District of Texas

1100 Commerce St., 3rd Fl.
Dallas, Texas 75242-1699

Telephone (214) 659-8600
Fax (214) 767-0978

ARRESTS IN DRUG HOUSE YIELD LENGTHY
PRISON SENTENCES FOR DEFENDANTS

Three Dallas men have been sentenced to lengthy federal prison sentences in connection with their March 2005, arrests in a South Dallas drug house, announced U.S. Attorney Richard B. Roper of the Northern District of Texas. Anthony Evans, Anthony Braziel, and Vernon Hoover were sentenced by U.S. District Judge Jane J. Boyle for their role in the armed drug trafficking at a Dallas-area home. A fourth individual, Christopher Jones, has pled guilty to his role in the drug crime and is scheduled to be sentenced in June 2007.

On March 1, 2005, officers with the Dallas Police Department executed a search warrant at a home in the 2600 block of Burger Avenue, which had been the subject of numerous complaints from citizens about drug dealing at the residence and where a confidential informant had recently purchased phencyclidine (PCP). When the officers arrived, they observed Braziel, Jones and Hoover sitting on a couch in the home, each with a loaded firearm in their lap or within reach. All three men were sitting behind a coffee table which contained numerous vials of PCP. Evans was also in the home. He had a loaded firearm on the floor near him.

During their search of the residence, officers recovered seven small jars containing a total of 295 grams of codeine, twenty-two vials and a glass jar containing 22.7 grams of PCP, a plastic baggie containing 26 grams of crack cocaine, 74 bags containing 17.5 pounds of marijuana, and drug distribution paraphernalia including scales, video monitoring equipment, and baggies. In addition to the firearms possessed by Evans, Braziel, Hoover, and Jones, the officers found two Kevlar body armor vests, a 12-gauge pump shotgun, and more than $5300 in cash.

Braziel pled guilty in December 2006, to possession of PCP with intent to distribute and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. He was sentenced earlier this month to 10 years in prison. Evans pled guilty in October 2006, to possession of crack cocaine with intent to distribute and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. He was sentenced yesterday to nearly 10 years (117 months) in prison. Hoover, who was also sentenced yesterday, pled guilty in January 2007, to possession of PCP with intent to distribute, being a felon in possession of a firearm, and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. He was sentenced to more than 13 years (160 months) in prison. Hoover’s more severe sentence was based, in part, on his prior conviction for possession of cocaine with intent to distribute, for which he was serving a term of probation at the time of his arrest.

The case was adopted by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives (ATF) and prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney’s Office under the nationwide Project Safe Neighborhoods program, which targets gun crime. U.S. Attorney Roper praised the investigative efforts of the ATF and the Dallas Police Department. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jordan Konig.

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