Hickory resident Phalen Devon Izard, 42, was sentenced to over five years in prison for crimes involving drugs and firearms. U.S. Attorney for the Western District of North Carolina, Dena J. King, confirmed the sentencing, which includes a follow-up period of three years supervised release. The conviction stems from incidents spanning from a drug trafficking investigation to firearm possession as a convicted felon.
During a July 2022 operation, Izard sold cocaine base to a confidential informant on two separate occasions. On April 11, 2023, further issues arose when Izard discharged a firearm into the air, leading to his immediate detention by Hickory Police Department officers, who recovered a 9mm pistol and ammunition. This event seemingly set to quickly escalate tensions within the Hickory community, straining the fabric that binds its residents together.
A later incident on October 22, 2023, at the Gateway Pub in Hickory, involved Izard in another firearms charge. Security footage showed a scuffle breaking out in which Izard again fired into the air. Upon his arrest, officers executed a search warrant at his residence, uncovering multiple firearms, including a stolen 10mm semi-automatic pistol and a 9mm semi-automatic pistol with an extended magazine, both violations given Izard's past criminal convictions preventing him from legally bearing arms. In a press release provided by the U.S. Attorney’s Office.
In May of this year, Izard pleaded guilty to two counts about the possession of cocaine base and two counts related to possessing firearms by a convicted felon. Currently held in federal custody, he awaits transfer to the Federal Bureau of Prisons. This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) U.S. Attorney King highlighted, identifying the efforts to genuinely reduce violent crime and gun violence.
