Belle Glade Man Sentenced to Prison for Federal Drug and Firearm Offenses

A Belle Glade man was sentenced yesterday to 20 years in federal prison for drug and firearm offenses.

Wifredo A. Ferrer, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Florida, Brandt Schenken, Acting Special Agent in Charge, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), Miami Field Division, and Ric Bradshaw, Sheriff, Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office (PBSO), made the announcement.

David G. Trevino, 38, of Belle Glade, was sentenced by U.S. District Senior Judge Daniel T.K. Hurley to 240 months in federal prison, to be followed by ten years of supervised release.  Trevino was prosecuted under the federal Armed Career Criminal Act (ACCA), which provides for an enhanced sentence for persons with at least three prior felony convictions for violent felonies or serious drug trafficking crimes.

In April 2016, a federal trial jury convicted Trevino of possessing a firearm during a drug trafficking offense, possession of cocaine with intent to distribute, obstruction of justice, and being a felon in possession of a firearm. According to the court record, including evidence presented at trial, in June 2013, PBSO deputies were on patrol in Pahokee, Palm Beach County, Florida and observed a large quantity of marijuana packaged for sale and partially concealed on the floor of Trevino's 700 series BMW, which was parked outside a local nightclub. When deputies attempted to make contact with Trevino, he fled on foot and discarded a loaded revolver on the ground.  A deputy deployed his taser when Trevino failed to comply with orders to stop.  During the course of the investigation, law enforcement recovered the loaded firearm, 49.3 grams of marijuana, and $3,896.

According to the court record, during a separate incident in November 2013, PBSO deputies were on patrol in Belle Glade, when they stopped a suspicious vehicle in the rear of a local business, in an area plagued by drug trafficking.  As deputies approached the vehicle, Trevino, the sole occupant, threw two paper bags out of the driver’s side window that contained cocaine and marijuana packaged for sale. Trevino then drove off, fleeing the area.

This case was brought as part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN).  PSN is a Department of Justice nationwide initiative that combines traditional law enforcement activities with community-based support and intervention programs. The two primary goals of the PSN initiative are to reduce and prevent violent crimes and to help past offenders adjust and re-enter the community.  This program emphasizes and facilitates cooperative federal, state and local prosecution of firearm crimes, violent criminals, repeat violent offenders and gang related criminal activity.

Mr. Ferrer commended the investigative efforts of the ATF and PBSO.  The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney John McMillan and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Aaron Papero from the Palm Beach County State Attorney’s Office.