Man Sentenced to 10 Years for Drug and Firearm Offenses

NEWPORT NEWS, Va. – An armed drug dealer who was convicted of drug and firearm offenses was sentenced today to 10 years and 10 months in prison.

Trenton R. Birchette, 34, of Surry County, was convicted by a federal jury on March 24. According to the evidence presented at trial, Birchette was arrested on an outstanding warrant during a traffic stop on Dec. 28, 2015. At the time of his arrest, detectives found a handgun, ammunition, and digital scale in the area immediately accessible to Birchette. A search of Birchette’s person following his arrest led detectives to believe that Birchette had something concealed between his buttocks. In recorded jail calls made later that evening, Birchette told a woman that he had drugs concealed in his rectum. Birchette said he planned to have another inmate bring the drugs to her and directed her to give them to her son for distribution on his behalf. Detectives discovered these calls and obtained a search warrant for Birchette’s person. On the way to the hospital, Birchette removed from his buttocks a plastic bag containing over six grams of individually packaged rocks of crack cocaine. Birchette hid the bag in between the seat cushions of the vehicle in which he was transported. Detectives discovered the bag one day later on the floorboard immediately behind where Birchette had been seated. In a jail call made that same day, Birchette told the same woman that authorities had taken him to the hospital and recovered everything the two had previously discussed. Before Dec. 28, 2015, Birchette had been convicted of four felony offenses, including two prior cocaine offenses. Birchette was convicted of possessing with intent to distribute crack cocaine, using a telephone in furtherance of drug distribution, possession of a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking, and possessing a firearm as a convicted felon.

Dana J. Boente, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia; and Michael B. Boxler, Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives’ (ATF) Washington Field Division; and Richard W. Myers, Chief of Newport News Police, made the announcement after sentencing by U.S. District Judge Arenda Wright Allen. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kaitlin C. Gratton and Brian J. Samuels prosecuted the case.

A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information is located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 4:16-cr-57.