Raymond Beryl Esters, Meth Trafficking, Alabama 2024

Birmingham Man Sentenced to 16 Years for Meth and Gun Charges

A federal judge has sentenced a convicted felon to 16 years in prison on drug and gun charges. Raymond Beryl Esters, 29, of Birmingham, was sentenced to 195 months in prison for possession of a controlled substance with intent to distribute, possession of a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence, distributing five grams or more of methamphetamine, and being a felon in possession of a firearm.

Esters pleaded guilty in May to the charges. In August 2019, Mountain Brook Police officers spotted Esters getting out of the driver’s side of a stolen vehicle. He ran when approached by officers and was later searched. The search found a Romarm Mini Drayco 7.62x39mm pistol, loaded with 26 rounds of ammunition, a box of twenty rounds of Frontier 5.56 caliber rounds of ammunition, a magazine of 5.56 caliber ammunition, and a black Gucci bag containing methamphetamine, cocaine, and heroin lying next to the pistol in the driver’s side floorboard.

In a separate incident, Esters admitted to selling 56 grams of methamphetamine for $1000 on August 11, 2020.

The ATF, along with the Mountain Brook Police Department and Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office, investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kristy Peoples prosecuted the case.

The case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), an evidence-based program aimed at reducing violent crime. PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs.

U.S. Attorney Prim F. Escalona and ATF Special Agent in Charge Mickey French praised the work of law enforcement in this case. “Combatting gun violence is a top priority of my office and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives,” said U.S. Attorney Escalona. “Drug-dealing felons who illegally possess firearms are a threat to this community, and we work closely with our federal, state, and local law enforcement partners to arrest and prosecute these offenders.”

Special Agent in Charge Mickey French added, “ATF Crime Gun Intelligence partnerships with the Mountain Brook PD and the United States Attorney’s Office focused on reducing the crimes of violence involving a stolen firearm. This directed investigation will have a lasting impact to the community.”

With this sentence, the community can rest a little easier knowing that justice has been served. The hard work of law enforcement and prosecutors has paid off, and Esters will be off the streets for a long time.

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