United States Attorney
Northern District of Texas

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

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

ARMED DRUG DEALER CONVICTED BY DALLAS JURY

DALLAS - Eric Lamont Ford of Dallas, Texas, was convicted by a federal jury yesterday on three felony counts brought in connection with his April 2006 drug arrest, announced U.S. Attorney Richard B. Roper of the Northern District of Texas. Ford, 34, was found guilty by a federal jury of being a felon in possession of a firearm, possession of marijuana with intent to distribute, and possession of a firearm in furtherance of his drug trafficking crime. Ford faces a maximum statutory sentence of life in prison.

The government presented evidence that Dallas Police Department officers received a civilian complaint concerning marijuana sales being conducted at a house in Oak Cliff in March 2006. Narcotics officers opened an investigation and subsequently purchased marijuana from two people, including Ford, through the gates of the fortified residence. The Dallas narcotics officers obtained a search warrant, and, with the assistance of the SWAT unit, executed the warrant on April 12, 2006. During the search, the officers entered Ford’s barricaded front door and saw Ford on the couch of the living room. On that couch, the officers discovered a loaded .40 caliber pistol and baggies of marijuana, which were packaged for distribution. During the search, officers located cash and almost one pound of marijuana in an open crawl space.

The jury also heard evidence that Ford had previously been convicted for possessing crack cocaine, a felony, in 1998. During that arrest, Ford was carrying a loaded gun and was found with a distribution quantity of marijuana. The case was adopted by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) and prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney’s Office under the Project Safe Neighborhoods program, a nationwide effort 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 and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Amy Mitchell.

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