United States Attorney Richard B. Roper
Northern District of Texas

ARMED DRUG DEALER SENTENCED TO LIFE IN PRISON, WITHOUT PAROLE

DALLAS — William Brent, a 33-year-old violent recidivist from Dallas, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Jorge A. Solis to life in prison, without the possibility of parole, following his conviction this summer on charges brought in connection with drug and firearm arrests in 2005, announced U.S. Attorney Richard B. Roper, of the Northern District of Texas.

Following the three-day trial in June, Brent was convicted of possession with intent to distribute cocaine base (crack cocaine), possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, and three counts of being a felon in possession of a firearm.

On April 15, 2005, Brent, a drug trafficker and convicted felon, fled from his crack house located in West Dallas as Dallas Police Department SWAT approached the house to execute a search warrant. Inside the house, agents with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) found more than 250 grams of crack cocaine and more than one pound of marijuana. Numerous loaded firearms were found in the house, and when Brent was arrested by uniformed officers after fleeing the scene, he had two loaded semi-automatic pistols in his possession.

On two later occasions, on April 30, 2005 and September 7, 2005, after he had been mistakenly released from jail and actively eluding police, Brent was again found in possession of firearms and drugs. In sum, in just six short months, Brent is responsible for 13 firearms, 279 grams of crack cocaine, two pounds of marijuana and codeine.

Brent has many felony convictions, including one for attempted murder, and is presently facing murder and aggravated assault charges in Dallas County.

The case was investigated by the ATF and prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney’s Office under the Project Safe Neighborhoods program, a nationwide effort targeting gun crime.

U.S. Attorney Roper praised the investigative efforts of the ATF, the Dallas Police Department and the U.S. Marshals Service Dallas/Ft. Worth Fugitive Apprehension Strike Team (DFW FAST).

The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Lisa Miller.

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