In Asheville, North Carolina, drug and gun trafficking has hit a roadblock as Jamal Marqui McDaniel, a 46-year-old man, faced justice with a 15-year prison sentence for his crimes, including methamphetamine distribution and firearms offenses, according to a release from the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of North Carolina obtained by SFist.
This sentencing comes after a concerted effort by the DEA, ATF, APD, and the Buncombe Country Sheriff’s Office who worked collaboratively to dismantle McDaniel’s illegal activities, over the investigation's period McDaniel sold nearly half a kilogram of methamphetamine also illegally providing firearms and ammo to cooperators with law enforcement.
Official court documents outline that McDaniel, who has now pleaded guilty to the charges against him on February 21, will serve his time followed by five years under the watchful eye of supervised release—further diminishing his immediate ability to operate within the criminal underground of narcotics and weapons trade.
U.S. Attorney Russ Ferguson led the announcement of the sentencing, extending gratitude to the involved law enforcement agencies for their determination and collaborative work that led to McDaniel’s arrest and subsequent conviction; a successful outcome for Operation Take Back America, the justice department's initiative aimed at eradicating illegal activity including the influence of cartels and transnational criminal organizations that threaten the well-being of communities across the nation.
