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Press Release

Ariton Man Sentenced to 157 Months in Prison Following Federal Firearms Convictions

For Immediate Release
U.S. Attorney's Office, Middle District of Alabama

            Montgomery, Alabama – On March 30, 2021, Marcus Antonio Grubbs, a 37-year-old man from Ariton, Alabama, was sentenced to 157 months in prison for possession of stolen firearms and possessing firearms in connection with a drug trafficking crime, announced Acting United States Attorney Sandra J. Stewart.

            According to court records, the charges stem from two encounters Grubbs had with law enforcement in Dale and Barbour Counties. The first encounter occurred in September of 2015 when law enforcement was investigating numerous burglaries in the area and made contact with Grubbs. After searching his residence, at that time located in Dale County, agents discovered that Grubbs was in possession of approximately 25 guns, 24 of which were found to have been stolen. Grubbs has previous felony convictions and is prohibited by federal law from possessing firearms.

            Later, in September of 2019, law enforcement executed another search warrant on Grubbs’ residence, then in Barbour County, and found more guns. In addition to the firearms, agents also seized a variety of illegal drugs, including approximately 70 grams of crack cocaine and 567 grams of methamphetamine.

            Grubbs was indicted by a federal grand jury in February of 2020, and on September 29, 2020, he pleaded guilty to possession of stolen firearms and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug crime. In addition to his 13-year prison sentence, Grubbs was also ordered to serve three years of supervised release after his term is complete. There is no parole in the federal system.

            The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency (ALEA), the Barbour County Sheriff’s Office, the Dale County Sheriff’s Office, the Henry County Sheriff’s Office, the Houston County Sheriff’s Office, the Dothan Police Department, the Enterprise Police Department, and the Opp Police Department investigated this case, with assistance from the United States Marshals Service. Assistant United States Attorney Brandon Bates prosecuted the case.

Updated April 9, 2021

Topics
Project Guardian
Project Safe Neighborhoods
Drug Trafficking