FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
August 14, 2008
http://www.usdoj.gov/usao/flm/pr                                                  

BRANDON DRUG DEALER SENTENCED TO 15 YEARS IN PRISON

TAMPA FL--United States Attorney Robert E. O'Neill and Acting Assistant Attorney General Matthew Friedrich of the U.S. Department of Justice Criminal Division announced today that Gustavo Barreda, age 35, of Brandon, FL, was sentenced on Wednesday, by the Honorable Senior Judge William J. Castagna, to 189 months in prison for conspiracy to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute cocaine and 120 months for possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. The prison terms are to run concurrent to one another. Barreda pleaded guilty on March 25, 2008 to the charges.

According to court documents, Barreda was arrested on December 5, 2006, in a closed night club in Ybor City by the Tampa Police Department Narcotics Squad. According to information contained in court documents, Barreda was attempting to purchase multiple kilos of cocaine when he was arrested. Three firearms were recovered and more than $116,500 in cash was seized at the time of his arrest.

The case is being prosecuted as a part the Department of Justice program Project Safe Neighborhood - a nationwide gun violence reduction initiative with support from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF). United States Attorney Robert E. O’Neill, with Virginia O’Brien, Special Agent in Charge of the ATF Tampa Field Division, are coordinating the cooperative effort in the Middle District of Florida with federal, state and local law enforcement officials. The objective of the program is to reduce violent crime by locating and seizing unlawfully possessed guns and subsequently swiftly prosecuting the offenders using both federal and state gun laws.

The case was jointly investigated by FBI Safe Streets Gang Task Force, Tampa Police Department and Florida Department of Law Enforcement. This case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Walter E. Furr and Trial Attorney Jerry D. Massie from the Department of Justice Criminal Division's Gang Squad Unit.

###

Tampa Press Releases | Tampa Home Page | FBI Home Page