From The Tribune staff reports
BIRMINGHAM — A federal judge sentenced a convicted felon on drug and gun charges, announced U.S. Attorney Prim F. Escalona and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives Special Agent in Charge Mickey French.
“Combating gun violence is a top priority of my office and the Department of Justice,” Escalona said through a press release. “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.”
“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,” French said. “This directed investigation will have a lasting impact to the community.”
According to the plea agreement, Mountain Brook Police officers spotted Esters getting out of the driver’s side of a stolen vehicle in August 2019. Esters ran when approached by officers. Officers searched the stolen vehicle and found a Romarm Mini Drayco 7.62×3 9-mm 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. Ester later admitted that he knew the firearm was stolen. Esters also admitted that on August 11, 2020, he sold 56 grams of methamphetamine for $1,000.
The ATF investigated the case along with the Mountain Brook Police Department and Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kristy Peoples prosecuted the case.