Federal Jury Convicts Lumberton Man for Drug Trafficking and Firearm Offenses

GREENVILLE – Robert J. Higdon, Jr., United States Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina, announces that today in Federal court, TRANQUERE SANCHEZ IRONS, a 30-year-old resident of Lumberton, was convicted following a two-day trial before Senior United States District Judge Malcolm J. Howard.  The jury found IRONS guilty of Possession with the Intent to Distribute a Quantity of Cocaine Base (Crack), Possession of a Firearm in Furtherance of a Drug Trafficking Crime and Being a Felon in Possession of a firearm.  Sentencing is scheduled for August 7, 2018.  IRONS faces up to life imprisonment.

The evidence at trial showed that on March 3, 2017, Officers with the Lumberton Police Department were conducting a license checkpoint.   Officers noticed a vehicle, driven by IRONS, avoid the checkpoint and begin traveling at a high rate of speed. Officers pursued IRONS who ended up crashing his vehicle into two other vehicles.  IRONS exited his vehicle and fled on foot but was captured by law enforcement officers.  Officers searched IRONS’ vehicle and found a loaded Bryco .380 pistol, a loaded 9mm magazine, an AK-47, cocaine and crack cocaine, and digital scales.

This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and make our neighborhoods safer for everyone.   Attorney General Jeff Sessions reinvigorated PSN in 2017 as part of the Department’s renewed focus on targeting violent criminals, directing all U.S. Attorney’s Offices to work in partnership with federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement and the local community to develop effective, locally-based strategies to reduce violent crime.

In support of PSN, the United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of North Carolina has implemented the Take Back North Carolina Initiative.  This initiative emphasizes the regional assignment of federal prosecutors to work with law enforcement and District Attorney’s Offices on a sustained basis in those communities to reduce the violent crime rate, drug trafficking, and crimes against law enforcement.

The case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives (ATF), and the Lumberton Police Department.  John H. Bennett prosecuted the case on behalf of the United States.