Skip to main content
Press Release

Smith County, Texas Man Sentenced For Dealing Cocaine In East Texas

For Immediate Release
U.S. Attorney's Office, Eastern District of Texas

Department of Justice
Office of Public Affairs

           TYLER, Texas – A 41-year-old Lindale, Texas man has been sentenced to federal prison for drug trafficking crimes in the Eastern District of Texas, announced U.S. Attorney John M. Bales today.

            Christopher Florence pleaded guilty on Sep. 11, 2012, to possession with intent to distribute cocaine and was sentenced to 38 months in federal prison today by U.S. District Judge Leonard Davis.

           According to information presented in court, on Jan. 27, 2011, law enforcement officers executed a search warrant at a residence on County road 141 in Overton, Rusk County, Texas during which Florence was observed attempting to discard a semi-automatic pistol, $1,757 in cash and approximately 6.16 grams of cocaine base in the yard of the residence.  Florence admitted to possessing the cocaine with the intent to distribute it to others in the area.  Florence was indicted by a federal grand jury on Sep. 15, 2011. 

           This case was investigated by the Rusk County Sheriff’s Office and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jim Noble.

Updated March 12, 2015