DENVER - Archie Poole, age 38, of Denver, Colorado, was sentenced yesterday by U.S. District Court Judge William J. Martinez to serve 130 months in federal prison for being a felon in possession of a firearm, and possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, U.S. Attorney John Walsh and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) Denver Division Special Agent in Charge Luke Franey announced. Following his prison sentence, Judge Martinez ordered Poole to serve 3 years on supervised release. Poole, who appeared at the sentencing hearing in custody, was remanding at the hearing’s conclusion. Poole also faces drug charges in a separate multi-defendant federal drug trafficking prosecution.
Poole was first charged by Criminal Complaint on May 6, 2014. He was indicted by a federal grand jury in Denver on May 19, 2014. He pled guilty before Judge Martinez on October 8, 2014. Poole was sentenced on January 7, 2015.
According to the stipulated facts contained in the plea agreement, on April 11, 2014, at a hotel on Colfax in Denver, Poole sold a confidential informant crack cocaine. On April 17, 2014, Poole again sold crack cocaine while knowingly possessing a.40 caliber handgun. The next day the Denver Police Department executed a search warrant of Poole’s hotel room. They found crack, a digital scale, a box containing plastic baggies, a baking soda box, and receipts for the hotel and a cell phone.
On May 4, 2014, Poole was arrested on a warrant by law enforcement following a traffic stop. Officers located a loaded..40 caliber pistol in the vehicle. Poole possessed the firearm despite the fact that he had multiple felony convictions, included: Possession/Sale of a Controlled Substance in Denver District Court -- 1995; Possession/Sale of a Controlled Substance in Denver District Court - 1997; Controlled Substance Possession More than 1 gram - Adams County Court - 2003; Possession of Contraband - Bent County Combined Court - 2006. When a person as felony convictions, it is illegal to possess a firearm.
During the sentencing hearing, it was established that Defendant Poole was a member of a local gang and had substantial alcohol and other substance abuse issues.
“The lengthy prison sentence handed down is appropriate given the fact that the defendant not only trafficked in dangerous drugs but he also carried a weapon dangerous weapon during his drug trafficking," said U.S. Attorney John Walsh. “Thanks to the ATF and the Denver Police Department, another gang member involved in drugs and guns has been taken off of our streets."
“ATF and our partners will continue to make it a priority to arrest and seek convictions of armed drug traffickers," said ATF Denver Division Special Agent in Charge Luke Franey.
This case was investigated by the ATF and the Denver Police Department.
This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jeremy Sibert.
Source: U.S. Department of Justice, Office of the United States Attorneys
