United States Attorney Richard B. Roper
Northern District of Texas

DALLAS MAN WILL SERVE LIFE IN PRISON, WITHOUT PAROLE, ON
FEDERAL DRUG AND FIREARMS CONVICTION

DALLAS — A Dallas man, Shelvin Lynn Holman, 47, was sentenced this morning to life in prison, plus 30 years, all without parole, on drug and firearms convictions, announced U.S. Attorney Richard B. Roper of the Northern District of Texas.

Holman was convicted in June, following a two-day trial before U.S. District Judge Sidney A. Fitzwater, on one count of distribution of cocaine, one count of using a firearm during and in relation to that drug trafficking crime, and one count of being a felon in possession of a firearm. Prior to sentencing, the government filed a sentencing enhancement information that mandated a term of life in prison on one of the firearm convictions because Holman, who had been convicted in New Mexico for armed robbery, sexual assault and kidnapping, had two or more convictions for violent crimes. In fact, Holman had been released from state prison in New Mexico less than two years before his arrest for armed drug trafficking in Dallas.

U.S. Attorney Roper said, “Federal law ensures that when an armed criminal is arrested, he’ll face swift and aggressive prosecution in the federal system. Thanks to Project Safe Neighborhoods, violent recidivists, such as Mr. Holman, are being removed from our communities and neighborhoods and locked away in federal prisons where they can look forward to spending a very long time behind bars.”

The government presented evidence at trial that on June 3, 2006, Holman, a violent recidivist from New Mexico, began armed drug trafficking in the City of Dallas. Specifically, on that day, an undercover narcotics officer with the Dallas Police Department was investigating a complaint of illegal drug sales at an apartment complex in East Dallas where Holman lived. As the undercover officer knocked on the door of an apartment in an attempt to buy crack cocaine, Holman opened the door of his apartment, which was across the breezeway, and asked him “what” he was looking for, to which the officer responded, “A solid 50,” which is street slang for a $50 piece of crack cocaine. Holman then told the officer that he had “tens,” meaning $10 rocks of crack, and invited the officer inside. Holman immediately armed himself with a .38 caliber pistol, pointed it toward the officer, and demanded to see the money. The officer produced a marked $100 bill and Holman then offered him “a deal,” stating that he would give the officer twelve $10 rocks for the $100 bill. Once the officer left, he immediately notified uniformed officers in the area about the drug transaction and instructed them to arrest Holman. The uniformed officers were warned that Holman was armed with a pistol.

 Uniformed officers then went to the apartment complex and knocked on Holman’s door while concealing themselves from view. They hoped that Holman would come outside so that they could arrest him. After knocking several times with no response, they began walking away, at which point Holman opened the door and walked outside. One of the uniformed officers drew his weapon because he believed that Holman was probably armed and ordered him to stop. Holman, however, charged toward the officer and fought him. During the course of the fight Holman reached for his waistband of his shorts and the loaded .38 caliber pistol fell to the ground. The officer was then able to strike Holman over the head with his service weapon, knocking him to the ground. Holman was arrested and searched. The marked $100 bill used to purchase the crack cocaine was found on Holman’s person. The police learned Holman’s identity and discovered that he was a convicted felon from New Mexico.

Court filings indicate that Holman had previously been convicted for armed robbery, assault with intent to commit a violent felony, and aggravated battery — crimes he committed in New Mexico in 1978. Holman was sentenced to 55 years imprisonment for the armed robbery. Holman has also been convicted on three counts of sexual assault and two counts of kidnapping crimes he committed in New Mexico in 1987. He was sentenced to 18 years in prison for those crimes.

The case was presented for federal prosecution by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) through the Project Safe Neighborhoods initiative, a federal program designed for the swift and aggressive prosecution of firearm offenses. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Gary Tromblay and Lisa Miller.

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