A former U.S. Postal Service employee from Jacksonville has been sentenced to 30 months in federal prison after pleading guilty to charges of possessing a firearm as an unlawful drug user. Bryan Byers, 58, received the sentence from U.S. District Judge Harvey E. Schlesinger, after a plea on July 10, as reported by the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Middle District of Florida.
Details from court documents presented in the case reveal that Byers was involved in trading firearms for drugs. A felon, caught with a Taurus 9mm pistol, claimed to have acquired the weapon from Byers in a swap for crack cocaine. This transaction was supposedly set up by a sex worker, who arranged for Byers to exchange guns for drugs with various dealers. Further investigations into Byers' communications with this sex worker unveiled a string of illegal activities including the selling of his prescription drugs, and compensating for sex services with cash or narcotics.
Law enforcement agencies carried out a search warrant at the residence of Byers on April 2. The search resulted in the confiscation of several firearms, including a Marlin .22 caliber rifle, a Norinco 7.62 x 39mm rifle with a large capacity magazine, a Palmetto State Arms 9mm pistol, and other armament materials such as two firearm frame/receivers and multiple rounds of assorted ammunition. Additionally, paraphernalia associated with drug use, such as used crack pipes, were seized. The very next day, before he could purchase another firearm from a licensed dealer in Jacksonville, Byers was apprehended by federal agents.
The investigation into Byers was carried out by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and was under the prosecution of Assistant United States Attorney Kelli Swaney. The outcome of this case stands as part of the broader initiative, Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), which aims to reduce violent crime and gun violence.
