United States Attorney
Northern District of Texas

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

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

WICHITA FALLS, TEXAS, MEN SENTENCED TO LENGTHY PRISON
TERMS ON DRUG AND FIREARMS CONVICTIONS

In unrelated cases, two men from Wichita Falls, Texas, Mundrall Mario Lewis and Thomas Cecil Webb, were sentenced this afternoon in federal court in Dallas, announced U.S. Attorney Richard B. Roper of the Northern District of Texas. U.S. Senior District Judge Jerry Buchmeyer sentenced Mundrall Mario Lewis, 33, to 256 months (over 21 years) in prison and Thomas Cecil Webb, 38, to 51 months in prison.

Lewis pled guilty in October 2006 to one count of possession with intent to distribute five grams or more of cocaine base. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) began investigating Lewis’ drug distribution activities in early 2006. In an undercover operation in April 2006, a confidential informant called Lewis and placed an order for one ounce of “crack” cocaine and arranged to meet Lewis at a convenience store in Wichita Falls to complete the transaction. While conducting surveillance at the arranged location, federal agents and Wichita Falls police officers observed Lewis arrive at the store in his truck. Lewis entered the convenience store and was detained. Officers then obtained his consent to search his truck and inside the hatch covering the opening of the gas tank, officers discovered about one ounce of “crack” cocaine --- the amount the confidential informant ordered from the defendant.

In October 2006, Thomas Cecil Webb pled guilty to being a felon in possession of a firearm. He admitted that on October 5, 2005, he was the driver and sole occupant of a gray, GMC Intrigue when a Wichita Falls police officer pulled him over for a traffic stop in Wichita Falls. Webb admitted that the vehicle’s registration was expired and gave the officer consent to search the car. Webb admits he knew he had a .357 caliber revolver in the glove compartment of the car. Webb is a convicted felon, having been convicted of burglary of a habitation, among other things.

U.S. Attorney Roper praised the investigative efforts of the ATF, the Wichita Falls Police Department and the Wichita County Sheriff’s Office. The firearms case is part of the Project Safe Neighborhoods initiative, a federal program aimed toward the aggressive prosecution of gun crimes. The cases were prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Gary Tromblay and Lisa J. Miller.

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