Fayetteville Man Convicted On Narcotics Distribution And Weapons Charges

RALEIGH - United States Attorney Thomas G. Walker announced today that MARCUS DORRELL BYRD, 43, of Fayetteville, North Carolina, was convicted by a federal jury on all 5 counts contained in the indictment dated September 18, 2012.  Charges consisted of drug and firearms offenses including conspiracy to distribute in excess of 5 kilograms of cocaine, distribution of cocaine, possession of a firearm during a drug trafficking crime, and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon.

During the four day trial, the government presented evidence that between on or about 2009, through on or about June 24, 2011, BYRD conspiredwith others in the Fayetteville area to distribute in excess of 30 kilograms of cocaine.  Further, evidence was also presented of several controlled sales of cocaine by the defendant to a confidential informant.  During a search of BYRD’s apartment by law enforcement, officers found him in possession of a loaded 9mm handgun, over $15,000 in US currency, a cocaine press, and several digital scales.   Due to prior federal drug, rioting, and firearms convictions, BYRD faces a mandatory life sentence plus 25 years to run consecutively at sentencing.

This case was part of the Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) initiative which encourages federal, state, and local agencies to cooperate in a unified “team effort” against gun crime, targeting repeat offenders who continually plague their communities.

Investigation of this case was conducted by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives and the Fayetteville Police Department. Assistant United States Attorneys Ethan A. Ontjes and Carrie Randa prosecuted the case for the government.