Fayetteville Man Sentenced to Over 10 Years in Federal Prison for Drug Trafficking and Firearms Possession

FAYETTEVILLE – A Fayetteville man was sentenced yesterday to 126 months in prison followed by three years of supervised release on one count of Possession with Intent to Distribute a Controlled Substance Methamphetamine and Possession of a Firearm in Furtherance of a Drug Trafficking Offense. The Honorable Judge Timothy L. Brooks presided over the sentencing hearing in the United States District Court in Fayetteville.

According to court documents, during the months of June and July 2021, detectives with the Fourth Judicial District Drug Task Force (DTF) conducted multiple controlled purchases of methamphetamine from David Damarion Sims, age 25, in Washington County.

On July 9, 2021, detectives with the DTF were conducting surveillance at one of Sims' residences. Detectives observed Sims and an unknown female exit the residence and Sims was carrying a backpack. He got into the passenger seat of the vehicle and left the area.

Officers with the Fayetteville Police Department were in the area and were requested to initiate a traffic stop on Sims and arrest him on the felony distribution charges. When Officers attempted to stop the vehicle, Sims exited the vehicle and fled the area on foot.

Officers pursued Sims on foot and observed him discard the backpack he was carrying. Officers caught Sims and arrested him. Sims was in possession of approximately 58.7 grams of methamphetamine separated into three individual baggies, approximately 19.4 grams of marijuana, and two stolen firearms.

Detectives with the DTF conducted a search warrant at one of Sims' residences. During a search of the residence, detectives located an additional 29 grams of methamphetamine, a digital scale, $10,410.00 US Currency, DTF buy funds, approximately 2 strips of LSD ,5 unknown pills, and 2 spent shell casings located in the residence.

A search was also conducted at a second residence of Sims. That search yielded a baggie containing multiple rounds of ammunition, and a digital scale with methamphetamine residue.

U.S. Attorney David Clay Fowlkes of the Western District of Arkansas made the announcement.

The Fourth Judicial District Drug Task Force and the Fayetteville Police Department investigated the case.

Assistant U.S. Attorney David Harris prosecuted the case.

This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.