United States Attorney James T. Jacks
Northern District of Texas

TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 24, 2009
http://www.usdoj.gov/usao/txn/

FEDERAL JURY CONVICTS DALLAS MAN ON
CRACK COCAINE AND FIREARM CHARGES

Defendant Faces Up to Life in Prison

DALLAS — Following a two-day trial before U.S. District Judge Reed C. O’Connor, a federal jury in Dallas convicted Shon Jefferson, 27, of Dallas, on all three counts of a second superseding indictment that was returned by a federal grand jury in Dallas last month. This afternoon, the jury found Jefferson guilty of possession with intent to distribute more than 50 grams of cocaine base (crack cocaine), being a felon in possession of a firearm, and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. Jefferson, who is presently in custody, faces a maximum statutory sentence of 10 years in prison on Count One, a minimum of 20 years and a maximum of life in prison on Count Two, and on Count Three, a mandatory five years in prison in addition to any other sentence imposed. He is scheduled to be sentenced by Judge O’Connor on March 11, 2010.

The government presented evidence at trial that on November 13, 2008, Dallas Police Department officers performed a consensual search of Jefferson’s residence on West 52nd Street in south Dallas. A search of the residence revealed a safe containing a loaded pistol, substances suspected to be cocaine base and marijuana, digital scales, and plastic baggies. Further search of Jefferson’s residence revealed framed photographs of Jefferson and receipts from the Texas Department of Criminal Justice linking Jefferson to that address. At the time of his arrest, Jefferson had $1361 on his person. A total amount of 77 grams of cocaine base was found in the residence, which according to testimony, had an estimated street value of $7700.

The government presented further evidence that in April 2005, Jefferson was sentenced to five and one-half years in prison for possessing methamphetamine with an intent to deliver.

The case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) and Dallas Police Department, Disruptions Unit. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Mary F. Walters and Gary Tromblay are prosecuting the case.

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