Press Release
Contact:
TIMOTHY P. VERHEY
ASSISTANT U.S. ATTORNEY
PHONE: (616) 456-2406
TRAVERSE CITY DRUG DEALER SENTENCED
TUESDAY, APRIL 14, 2009 - GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. – Herchel Brent Minifee, 40, of Traverse City, was sentenced late yesterday to 14 ½ years in prison for engaging in a conspiracy to distribute marijuana, and for possessing a gun while being a convicted felon, U.S. Attorney Donald A. Davis announced today.
Minifee pled guilty on October 1, 2008 to one count of conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute over 100 kilos of marijuana and one count of being a felon in possession of a firearm. Minifee was indicted by a federal grand jury on July 16, 2008, following the execution of multiple search warrants including one at his home, where officers recovered a Browning .22 caliber long rifle semiautomatic handgun.
In addition to the 172-month prison sentence, Chief U.S. District Paul L. Maloney ordered Minifee to serve four years of supervised release following his term in prison. Maloney also ordered Minifee to forfeit over $10,000 cash and two cars seized during police raids.
U.S. Attorney Davis commended the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and the Traverse City Narcotics Team (TNT) for their work in the case. U.S. Attorney Davis noted that “the citizens of Northern Michigan should understand that, despite our many prosecutive priorities, we remain fully committed to vigorously enforcing the federal laws against the distribution of illegal drugs.” This case was prosecuted on behalf of the United States of America by Assistant U.S. Attorney Timothy VerHey
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