BIRMINGHAM - Yesterday a federal jury convicted a Birmingham man of possessing nearly half a kilogram of the highly addictive and extremely potent opioid fentanyl with the intent to distribute, announced U.S. Attorney Jay Town and Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) Assistant Special Agent in Charge Clay Morris.
Following a two-day trial before U.S. District Judge R. David Proctor, the jury convicted BOB COTCHERY III, 28, of one count of possession with the intent to distribute over 400 grams of fentanyl.
According to the evidence at trial, on the evening of Dec. 14, 2017, Birmingham police officers on routine patrol in the Norwood area of Birmingham attempted to stop COTCHERY for a traffic violation. Seeing police, COTCHERY bailed out of his moving car and fled. Officers gave chase into a dark alley where they saw COTCHERY crouch down near a car just before he was taken into custody. Under the car near where COTCHERY bent down, officers recovered a Ziploc plastic bag, which was later determined to contain 494 grams of fentanyl. COTCHERY, who has previous drug trafficking convictions, faces a minimum sentence of 10 years and a maximum sentence of life in prison for his crimes.
“Fentanyl is responsible for too many overdose deaths across Alabama and is something we wish we could uninvent", Town said. “As Cotchery found out today, criminals that peddle poisonous opioids like this, from clinic to street corner, will continue to be targets for prosecution. We will even leave a light on for them in a federal prison cell."
"Today’s guilty verdict should send a clear message to anyone involved in the distribution of synthetic opioids. The DEA and our law enforcement partners will work tirelessly to protect our communities, families, and children," said Morris. “The distribution of any drug, especially fentanyl, will not be tolerated."
The DEA investigated the case along with the Birmingham Police Department, which Assistant U.S. Attorneys Gregory R. Dimler and Mohammad Khatib prosecuted.
Source: U.S. Department of Justice, Office of the United States Attorneys
