Virginia Beach Man Sentenced to 126 Months for Drug Crimes

NORFOLK, Va. – Alonzo Diangelo Bell, 32, of Virginia Beach, was sentenced today to 126 months in prison for manufacturing marijuana and maintaining drug-involved premises.

Bell pleaded guilty on Sept. 17, 2015. According to court documents, in February of 2015, Virginia Beach Police conducted surveillance of a storage facility located at the corner of Maxey Drive and Virginia Beach Boulevard after an officer who had been patrolling the area detected a strong odor of marijuana.  Bell who had been observed exiting one of the units of the storage facility was stopped for speeding.  During the stop, officers detected the odor of marijuana and searched Bell’s vehicle, but no contraband was found.  Later, when the police contacted the manager of the storage facility to inquire about Bell, they were informed that several complaints had been made about the smell of marijuana coming from the units that Bell was renting.  The manager consented to a search of units adjacent to the units Bell was renting.  When police determined that the marijuana odor was coming from the two storage units being rented by Bell, search warrants were executed.  In one unit, the police found approximately 1883 grams of marijuana.  In the second unit, police discovered a marijuana grow operation consisting of approximately 30 mature plants, a carbon dioxide generator and grow lights. The total weight of the marijuana seized was approximately 4.665 kilograms.  Latent fingerprints belonging to Bell were found on various items in both units.

Dana J. Boente, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia; and Clark E. Settles, Special Agent in Charge of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations Washington, D.C. Field Office, made the announcement after sentencing by U.S. District Judge Raymond A. Jackson.  Assistant U.S. Attorney Darryl Mitchell prosecuted the case.

A copy of this press release may be found on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia.  Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:15-cr-99.