TAMPA, Fla. - Mark R. Trouville, Special Agent in Charge, Drug Enforcement (DEA), Miami Field Division, and Robert E. O'Neill, United States Attorney for the Middle District of Florida, announced today that Senior U.S. District Judge William J. Castagna sentenced Michael Renard Albury, Jr. (27, Bradenton), to 60 years in federal prison for possessing with the intent to distribute more than 500 grams of cocaine, possessing with the intent to distribute crack cocaine and (a drug likened to Ecstasy), possessing two different guns in furtherance of those drug trafficking activities, and being a convicted felon in possession of a firearm. A federal jury found Albury guilty of these charges on May 24, 2012.
According to testimony and evidence presented at trial, Albury was staying at the Holiday Inn Express in Bradenton, in July of 2011. On July 26, 2011, officers with the Bradenton Police Department were called to the hotel because a fully loaded.45 caliber pistol and suspected cocaine were found in a room that had been vacated by Albury. Further investigation at the scene revealed signs of drug trafficking. Based on that information, a search warrant was obtained for Albury’s new room, in which investigators found more than one-half kilogram of cocaine, 600 tablets of BZP, another firearm, and approximately $15,000 in currency.
This case was investigated by the DEA Tampa District Office and the Bradenton Police Department.
