Armed "Bloods" Drug Dealer Sentenced To More Than 20 Years In Federal Prison
Tampa, FL – U.S. District Judge James Whittemore today sentenced Bryan Stanford (28, Bradenton) to 250 months in federal prison for possession of narcotics with the intent to sell or deliver them, being a felon in possession of firearms, and possessing a gun in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. The court also ordered Stanford to forfeit three firearms. Stanford entered a guilty plea on June 4, 2012.
According to court records, on August 22, 2011, law enforcement officers observed Stanford driving a car with illegally tinted windows and stopped him. When the deputies approached the window, they smelled marijuana. When asked about the smell, Stanford admitted that there was marijuana in the center console. A subsequent search of Stanford led the deputies to recover an additional 3.4 grams of cocaine and 11.3 grams of crack cocaine. Deputies recovered 17.8 grams of marijuana and 10.5 grams of oxycodone from inside the car.
The deputies also recovered a key to a storage facility. A search of the storage facility revealed a pot used for "cooking" cocaine, a Mossberg 12 gauge shotgun loaded with three rounds of ammunition and a Hi Point 9 millimeter rifle loaded with 10 rounds of ammunition.
On September 12, 2011, law enforcement officers arranged to purchase crack cocaine and oxycodone from Stanford. Stanford met in a parking lot and sold 1.1 grams of crack cocaine and .629 grams of oxycodone to undercover law enforcement officers. He was arrested immediately after the sale. Inside Stanford's vehicle, officers recovered 4.22 grams of oxycodone, 1.7 grams of crack cocaine, 1 gram of heroin, 1.4 grams of powder cocaine, and a Lorcin 9 millimeter gun.
Stanford is a member of the "Bloods" gang. At the time of his 2011 arrest, Stanford was a convicted felon, and thus prohibited from possessing a firearm or ammunition under federal law.
This case was investigated by the ATF and the Manatee County Sheriff's Office (MCSO). It was part of Project Manatee, a collaborative effort between ATF and MCSO to combat ongoing gang activity. This case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Thomas N. Palermo.
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