Troy man gets 30 years on federal gun, drug charges

Published 5:26 pm Tuesday, September 1, 2020

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A Pike County man has been sentenced to 30 years in prison for federal gun and drug convictions.

On Friday, August 28, Osie Lee Davis., a 49-year-old resident of Troy, was sentenced to 360 months in prison following federal gun and drug convictions. Davis was also ordered to serve six years of supervised release after he completes his prison sentence. There is no parole in the federal system.

Based on his substantial criminal history, which included at least eight prior felony drug convictions, the judge determined that Davis qualified as a career offender under the federal sentencing guidelines and was subject to sentencing enhancements under the Armed Career Criminal Act of 1984. These rulings significantly increased the guidelines range for Davis and resulted in a 30-year sentence.

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Evidence presented during Davis’ October 2019 trial showed that just before midnight on January 31, 2017, the Troy Police Department observed Davis driving a vehicle with the headlights off and performed a traffic stop. The officer discovered that Davis had a suspended license and outstanding arrest warrants. When officers took Davis into custody and searched him, they discovered multiple drugs, which were packaged for sale, inside a pouch in his jacket pocket. The narcotics included marijuana, methamphetamine, cocaine, and clonazepam. A handgun was also found next to the driver’s seat of the vehicle. Davis has multiple previous felony convictions and is prohibited by federal law from possessing a firearm.

A second encounter with law enforcement occurred on October 5, 2018, in Troy, just after midnight. Troy police conducted a traffic stop due to a headlight being out and, while arresting Davis for yet another outstanding warrant, they found cocaine and marijuana in the vehicle. Once Davis was taken into custody and booked into the Troy City Jail, several additional baggies of cocaine, which were packaged for sale, were discovered in one of his shoes.

The Troy Police Department joined with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) to investigate and ultimately bring the case up for federal prosecution. After hearing all the evidence from the Troy Police Department and ATF during his trial, a federal jury found Davis guilty on six counts of possessing illegal drugs with intent to distribute, one count of being a felon in possession of a firearm, and one count of possessing a firearm in connection with a drug trafficking offense.

“Drug trafficking encompasses more than simply selling narcotics, it also tears families apart, destroys lives, and heightens the potential for violence throughout our communities,” stated U.S. Attorney Louis V. Franklin Sr.. “Mr. Davis has a long history of criminal conduct that spans decades. He has multiple convictions for drug distribution and has had numerous opportunities to change, but each time he chose to return to the same way of life. Thirty years is a significant sentence, but it is one that Mr. Davis earned for himself. I would like to thank the agencies involved in this investigation and I am grateful that Mr. Davis will no longer be a threat to the citizens of Troy and the surrounding communities.”

“Removing the criminal element that uses a firearm to facilitate violent crimes is a priority of ATF,” stated ATF Acting Special Agent in Charge Toby Taylor.

“This focused investigation of an individual with an extensive criminal history will have a lasting impact within this community.”

“This is a significant arrest that will go a long way in making our streets and our community safer,” said Troy Police Chief Randall Barr. “Davis has proven that after multiple convictions he has no intention of changing his ways and continues to distribute dangerous illegal drugs. The sentence handed down in this case sends a strong message that this type behavior will not be tolerated. We truly appreciate the cooperation and hard work invested in this case by everyone involved to bring this case to a successful end.”

The Troy Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) investigated this case, with assistance from the Alabama Department of Forensic Sciences. Assistant United States Attorneys Eric Counts and Robert Nichols prosecuted this case.