Leon Byrd, Cocaine and Methamphetamine Trafficking, New York 2023

A 61-year-old Jamaican citizen residing in Winthrop, New York, has been sentenced to time served for his involvement in a large-scale cocaine and methamphetamine trafficking operation in the state.

Leon Byrd, also known as 'Paul Edwards,' was sentenced to 26 months in prison, which he has already served, for his role in distributing and possessing with intent to distribute approximately 1.8 kilograms of cocaine and 29 grams of methamphetamine.

The announcement was made by Acting United States Attorney John A. Sarcone III and Frank A. Tarentino III, Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), New York Division.

As part of his previously entered guilty plea, Byrd admitted that from September 2022 through June 2023, he worked with a drug trafficking organization led by codefendants Troy Dean and Maijia Scott that trafficked cocaine from New York City and methamphetamine from California to the Winthrop area of St. Lawrence County, New York.

When Scott and Dean were not available to distribute cocaine in Winthrop, Byrd distributed cocaine on their behalf and at their direction.

On June 22, 2023, police executed a search warrant at Dean and Scott's residence in Winthrop, where Byrd also lived. Byrd was present in the home at the time the search warrant was executed. In the home, police seized approximately 1,500 grams of cocaine, approximately 29 grams of methamphetamine, and $26,597 in U.S. currency.

At one time Byrd held permanent U.S. resident status, which lapsed in 2004.

Dean has also pled guilty and is awaiting sentencing. Scott's case is scheduled for trial in December. The charges against Scott are merely accusations, and she is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.

The DEA is investigating this case with assistance from the New York State Police. Assistant United States Attorney Douglas Collyer is prosecuting the case as part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) investigation.

Source: https://www.justice.gov/usao-ndny/pr/jamaican-citizen-sentenced-drug-trafficking