Bryant Antonio Hester, 55, of Cleveland, has been sentenced to 15 years in federal prison for drug trafficking and possessing a firearm as a convicted felon. U.S. District Judge Michael P. Mills handed down the sentence today, following Hester’s guilty plea to possession with intent to distribute fentanyl and illegal firearm possession.
Hester will serve 180 months in prison, followed by five years of supervised release. He was immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.
“This defendant is a convicted felon who has once again committed crimes, and he has more than earned his sentence today,” stated U.S. Attorney Clay Joyner. “We will continue working alongside our law enforcement partners to remove criminals from our streets and prevent them from illegally possessing firearms.”
The case highlights the dangers posed by repeat offenders and the combined efforts of law enforcement to combat drug and gun violence.
“The ATF is working closely with local and state police agencies to address firearm trafficking by convicted felons and the scourge of deadly drugs, including fentanyl, flooding our communities,” said ATF New Orleans Special Agent in Charge Joshua Jackson. “Alongside our partners at the U.S. Attorney’s Office, ATF is dedicated to pursuing and combating these criminals to prevent them from doing harm to our communities and neighborhoods.”
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Mississippi Department of Public Safety Commissioner Sean Tindell also praised the collaborative effort. “Great work by the Mississippi Bureau of Narcotics and all other agencies involved in bringing this case to justice,” said Tindell. “Thanks to these combined efforts, this dangerous criminal is off of our Mississippi streets.”
The investigation was a joint effort by the Mississippi Bureau of Narcotics, the Bolivar County Sheriff’s Office, the Cleveland Police Department, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF).
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