Opinion ID: 1234144
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: Facts Underlying Williams's Prior Offenses

Text: In November 2001, Williams came under the scrutiny of an ongoing federal investigation into crack cocaine trafficking in Fort Smith, Arkansas. The authorities used a confidential informant to purchase cocaine from Williams on several occasions in November, December, and January; however, no immediate arrests were made. On July 2, 2002, Williams was involved in a traffic stop initiated by Fort Smith police officers  the officers believed Williams had an outstanding warrant. The officers searched Williams and discovered that he was carrying small amounts of marijuana and crack cocaine. Williams was charged, in the Circuit Court of Sebastian County, Arkansas, with possession of cocaine and marijuana with intent to deliver. Federal authorities arrested Williams in October 2002 charging him with distributing five grams or more of cocaine base, a schedule II controlled substance based on his drug sales to an informant in late 2001 and early 2002. On March 5, 2003, Williams entered a guilty plea to the federal charges, and he was sentenced to a term of 31 months' imprisonment, to be followed by five years supervised release; the court also imposed a $2,000 fine and a $100 special assessment. Williams entered a guilty plea on the state charges on March 7, 2003 (two days after his plea on the federal charges) and received a suspended sentence of 120 months on the cocaine charge and a suspended sentence of 78 months on the marijuana charge. The sentences were ordered to run concurrently with Williams's federal sentence.