A Birmingham man was sentenced on July 21 to more than five years in prison for possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine, according to an announcement by U.S. Attorney Phillip W. Williams Jr.
U.S. District Judge Annmarie C. Axon sentenced Deverick Dewayne Croom, 35, to 63 months in prison after he pleaded guilty in April to the drug charge. “Keeping violent offenders and illegal drugs out of our communities remains a top priority,” said U.S. Attorney Phillip W. Williams Jr., “I am grateful to our federal, state and local law enforcement partners for their continued commitment to holding dangerous offenders accountable and keeping the citizens of the Northern District of Alabama safe.”
ATF Special Agent in Charge James VanVliet said, “As in this case, domestic violence involving firearms is particularly concerning and often links to further criminal activity that affects the victims and our communities as a whole. Today’s sentencing underscores the importance of holding individuals accountable who recklessly engage in criminal acts of violence, illegally possess firearms, and distribute narcotics.”
According to court documents, on August 12, 2020, a Birmingham Police Department officer responded to a domestic violence call where the victim reported that Croom had assaulted her by strangulation, shot at her, and taken her phone and money. Officers went to a hotel room linked with Croom but found it unoccupied; inside they observed suspected marijuana and pills containing methamphetamine on a dresser along with a loaded AR-style rifle in the closet. When Croom returned shortly after, he was detained carrying both a hotel key card and the victim’s phone; officers then seized multiple bags of marijuana (each about 3.5 grams), over 200 pills containing methamphetamine, and an AR-style rifle from his room.
Croom was arrested for possession of controlled substances as well as domestic violence by strangulation or suffocation after it was discovered he had active arrest warrants issued by the City of Birmingham.
The case was investigated by ATF alongside the Birmingham Police Department; Assistant U.S. Attorney Daniel S. McBrayer prosecuted it.
The U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Alabama advances community safety through public engagement initiatives; prosecutes federal crimes; defends civil cases involving the United States; recovers funds lost due to fraud; serves more than 2.8 million people across 31 counties including facilities in Birmingham and Huntsville; covers much of northern Alabama including these cities; all as part of its mission within the U.S Department of Justice, according to its official website.