Albuquerque Crack Dealer Gets 5 Years

ALBUQUERQUE, NM – The streets of Albuquerque are marginally safer today after two men were handed federal sentences for their roles in a widespread firearms and narcotics operation. Shawn Anthony Burns, 31, received a hefty 60 months in prison, followed by four years of supervised release, for trafficking crack cocaine. Separately, Marcus Sowell, 19, was sentenced to a year and a day behind bars, plus two years of supervised release, for possession of an unregistered firearm.

The sentencing of Burns and Sowell are the latest developments in a sprawling investigation launched in April 2016 by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF). The operation, which drew in personnel from across the country, targeted the alarming rate of violent crime plaguing the Albuquerque metro area. Investigators employed a multi-pronged approach, including undercover work, historical data analysis, and a specific focus on repeat felony offenders illegally possessing firearms.

Federal prosecutors framed the initiative as a “worst of the worst” strategy, prioritizing the long-term removal of dangerous repeat offenders from New Mexico communities. Acting U.S. Attorney James D. Tierney and federal agencies partnered with state and local law enforcement, including tribal authorities, to build cases suitable for federal prosecution, leveraging harsher penalties and longer sentences than often available at the state level. This collaborative effort culminated in a staggering 59 federal indictments and a criminal complaint against a total of 104 Bernalillo County residents.

Sowell, alongside co-defendants Damon Giles, 23, Michael Borrego, 25, Adrian Banks, 28, and Marcus Lewis, 27, faced a 12-count indictment filed June 30, 2016. The charges included Sowell possessing an unregistered firearm and engaging in illegal firearms dealing. Giles faced multiple counts related to being a felon in possession of firearms and unlicensed dealing. Borrego and Banks were also charged with illegal firearms dealing, while Lewis was implicated in cocaine distribution. The indictment detailed offenses allegedly committed throughout Bernalillo County.

Burns was initially indicted in July 2016, accused of distributing crack cocaine on multiple occasions in April 2016. He later pled guilty on December 9, 2016, admitting to distributing 28 grams or more of crack cocaine on April 29, 2016. Sowell entered a guilty plea on November 4, 2016, confessing to possessing a firearm not registered in the National Firearms Registration and Transfer Record (NFRTR). As of today, 43 of the 104 defendants have pled guilty, with 18 already sentenced. The remaining defendants maintain their innocence.

The Albuquerque office of the ATF spearheaded the investigation. While these convictions represent a step toward curbing violent crime in Albuquerque, the sheer number of individuals indicted highlights the depth of the problem. As always, all charges are accusations until proven guilty in a court of law, and defendants are presumed innocent until then. Grimy Times will continue to follow this case and report on further developments as they unfold.

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