Convicted Felon Enters Plea For Drug Trafficking, Weapons Possession

HYATTSVILLE, MD — A 41-year-old Hyattsville man has pleaded guilty to drug trafficking and for being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition.

According to his guilty plea, on Dec. 27, 2022, Garrison Thomas was a passenger in a vehicle that was stopped by Prince George's County police officers for having expired Virginia registration tags. As officers approached the vehicle, they could smell marijuana coming from the vehicle and asked the driver and Thomas to exit the vehicle. Thomas was asked to put his hands on top of the car and as an officer attempted to pat him down, a struggle ensued. During the struggle, Thomas slipped out of his coat and ran off. Officers followed him. Another officer picked up Thomas’ coat and recovered a 9mm pistol loaded with approximately 12 rounds of 9mm ammunition from it, according to court documents.

Thomas was apprehended and arrested, but while in the car, law enforcement found a magazine loaded with 10 rounds of 9mm ammunition in the vehicle and a digital scale with suspected cocaine residue. A search of Thomas' body recovered approximately $328 in cash, approximately 1.138 grams of para-fluorofentanyl, an open plastic bag corner containing approximately 4.840 grams of crack cocaine, two knotted plastic bag corners containing approximately 2.906 grams of powder cocaine and approximately .545 grams of loose powder and crack cocaine, court documents showed.

Thomas admitted that the firearm, ammunition, magazine and cash were proceeds of his drug trafficking activity. Thomas faces a maximum sentence of 20 years in federal prison for possession with intent to distribute controlled substances and a maximum sentence of 15 years in federal prison for being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition. His sentencing has been set for July 19.