Saint Louis City Man Indicted on Federal Drug and Firearm Charges

St. Louis – Markquis Bryant, aka “Two”, 48, of Saint Louis, MO, was indicted by a federal grand jury with charges of being a felon in possession of one or more firearms; possession with intent to distribute a controlled substance; and, possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. Bryant was previously charged by federal complaint and appeared in court on March 27, 2020 for his initial appearance in front of U.S. Magistrate Judge Nannette A. Baker.

According to court documents and statements made in court, investigators with the Florissant Police Department’s Anti-Crime Unit began an investigation into a fatal narcotics overdose which occurred on March 7, 2020.  The investigators were able to determine that the victim had purchased illegal narcotics from Markquis Bryant on March 6, 2020.  During the week of March 9, 2020, investigators conducted an undercover operation where an amount of suspected heroin and/or fentanyl was purchased from Bryant at his residence in the 5300 block of Queens Avenue in St. Louis, Missouri.  On March 26, 2020, a federal search warrant was executed by the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Florissant Police Department, with assistance from the St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department, at that same residence.  While executing the search warrant, law enforcement located five (5) firearms, including a Glock .45 caliber semi-automatic pistol, a Sig Sauer .40 caliber semi-automatic pistol, a Rohm GMBH .22 magnum caliber revolver, a Mossberg International, .22 LR caliber firearm, and an Intratec AB-10 Model .9 mm caliber firearm, as well as an extended firearm magazine and ounce quantities of suspected heroin, fentanyl, and crack cocaine.  Investigators also seized items of drug trafficking paraphernalia, including a pill press, an N-95 respirator mask, multiple scales and blenders with residue. Investigators also located in defendant’s wallet an EBT card belonging to the victim of the March 7, 2020, fatal overdose investigation. Markquis Bryant has prior criminal convictions for Murder Second Degree, Assault First Degree and Armed Criminal Action from 1990.  He also has prior criminal convictions for Possession of a Controlled Substance in 2009, and Assault in the Second Degree and Armed Criminal Action in 2011.

“DEA will target and arrest violent repeat offenders that cause overdose deaths with their poison,” said DEA St. Louis Division Special Agent in Charge William Callahan. “We need to keep hospital beds open during the COVID-19 epidemic. Keeping illegal drugs off the streets is one way DEA is helping our medical professionals during this crisis.”

If convicted, the charge of possession with intent to distribute a controlled substance carries a penalty of not more than 20 years in prison and a maximum fine of $1,000,000 or both; felon in possession of one or more firearms carries a penalty of not more than10 years in prison and a maximum fine of $250,000 or both; and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug-trafficking crime carries a penalty of not less than five years and no more than life and a maximum fine of $250,000 or both.  In determining the actual sentences, a judge is required to consider the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines, which provide recommended sentencing ranges.

These charges are the result of a joint investigation by the Florissant, Missouri Police Department and the Drug Enforcement Administration.  Assistant U.S. Attorney Lisa Yemm is handling the case for the United States Attorney’s Office.

Charges set forth in the Indictment are merely accusations and do not constitute proof of guilt.  Every defendant is presumed to be innocent unless and until proven guilty.