United States of America v. Melvin Leon Myrick

Richmond, Virginia, criminal defense lawyer represented the Defendant charged with for possession with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of "actual methamphetamine.”<br>
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At about 2:00 a.m. on April 20, 2022, a Colonial Heights, Virginia, police officer attempted to stop a silver Nissan for a traffic infraction. The Nissan, however, failed to stop and sped away, reaching well over 85 miles per hour in a 35-miles-per-hour zone as the officer pursued. When, however, the officer became concerned for her own safety, she decided to end the pursuit. Nonetheless, shortly thereafter, she came upon the Nissan, which had crashed headfirst into a tree. When she arrived, she saw the driver exit and run around the rear of the vehicle. He briefly locked eyes with her before he attempted to open the front passenger door. When he was unable to do so, he ran into the woods and escaped.<br>
Following a search of the vehicle, officers recovered 138 grams of methamphetamine, 53 grams of powder cocaine, two digital scales, three loaded semi-automatic handguns — a Glock model 22, another Glock model 22 with an extended magazine, and a 7.62 AK-style pistol — as well as a 7.62 shell casing on the front passenger seat. The officers also recovered Department of Motor Vehicle (DMV) paperwork in the name of Melvin Myrick, an Enterprise rental agreement indicating that the vehicle had been rented earlier that month by a woman later identified as Myrick's girlfriend, and two cell phones. The officers obtained a photo of Myrick from the DMV, and the officer who had pursued the silver Nissan immediately identified him as the person she had witnessed at the scene.<br>
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After state law enforcement arrested Myrick in connection with an unrelated offense, a federal grand jury returned an indictment on October 4, 2022, charging that on April 20, 2022, he had possessed with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of "actual methamphetamine,” in violation of 21 U.S.C. § 841(a)(1) and (b)(1)(A). He was thereafter transferred to federal custody and made his initial appearance on the drug charge on October 14, 2022. The court appointed counsel for Myrick and scheduled his trial to begin on December 14, 2022, 61 days after his initial appearance.

The jury found Myrick guilty on all charges, and the district court sentenced him to 270 months’ imprisonment, which fell at the bottom of the Sentencing Guidelines range calculated by the court.