BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – A Birmingham man pleaded guilty this week to drug and gun charges, announced U.S. Attorney Prim F. Escalona and Drug Enforcement Administration Assistant Special Agent in Charge Towanda Thorne-James.
LaMarcus Antonia Sills, Sr., 39, pleaded guilty before United States District Judge Abdul K. Kallon to charges that he possessed heroin with the intent to distribute, was a felon in possession of a firearm, and carried a firearm during and in relation to drug trafficking crime. Sentencing is scheduled for June 23, 2022.
According to the plea agreement, on July 16, 2020, Birmingham Police Officers had established a police checkpoint at the intersection of 29th Avenue North and 29th Street North, when a white Mercedes Benz came to a stop at the checkpoint. The driver, and sole occupant of the vehicle, was Sills. While speaking to Sills, officers detected the odor of marijuana coming from the vehicle and Sills admitted to officers that he had smoked a blunt earlier that day just outside the vehicle. During a search, Officers discovered a 9mm Sig Sauer pistol in Sills’ waistband. Officers searched the vehicle and found numerous plastic sandwich bags under the driver’s seat. In the backseat center arm rest, officers found a clear plastic sandwich bag containing marijuana, a plastic bag containing 30.79 grams of heroin, a small digital scale, and more empty sandwich bags.
Drug Enforcement Administration and Birmingham Police Department investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Darius Greene prosecuted the case.
###