Jamal Marqui McDaniel, aged 46, has been sentenced to 15 years in prison with an additional five years of supervised release for methamphetamine trafficking and firearms offenses. This was announced by Russ Ferguson, the U.S. Attorney for the Western District of North Carolina.
The sentencing follows a joint investigation conducted by the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), and the Asheville Police Department (APD). The investigation began after authorities received information about McDaniel's involvement in illegal narcotics and firearms sales in Asheville. During the investigation, McDaniel sold methamphetamine, firearms, and ammunition multiple times to individuals cooperating with law enforcement. Court records indicate that McDaniel distributed nearly half a kilogram of methamphetamine and illegally sold eight firearms.
McDaniel entered a guilty plea on February 21, 2025, admitting to charges of methamphetamine distribution, possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, and possession of a firearm by a felon. He is currently held by the U.S. Marshals Service until he is placed by the federal Bureau of Prisons.
U.S. Attorney Ferguson expressed gratitude to the ATF, DEA, APD, and Buncombe County Sheriff’s Office for their work on this case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Christopher S. Hess from Asheville led the prosecution.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America—a nationwide initiative aimed at combating illegal immigration and eliminating cartels and transnational criminal organizations while protecting communities from violent crime perpetrators. The operation utilizes resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).
