United States Drug Enforcement Administration

TYLER, Texas - A 29-year-old Dallas man has pleaded guilty to federal drug conspiracy charges in the Eastern District of Texas, announced Clyde E. Shelley, Jr., the Special Agent in Charge of the Dallas Drug Enforcement Administration and Acting U.S. Attorney Brit Featherston today.

Sharjeel Jeff Ali pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute and possession with intent to distribute Schedule I controlled substances, conspiracy to distribute and possession with intent to distribute controlled substance analogues, and engaging in monetary transactions.  Ali entered his guilty plea today before U.S. Magistrate Judge K. Nicole Mitchell.

On Aug. 4, 2016, a combined task force of federal, state and local law enforcement executed federal arrest and search warrants in Plano, Carrollton, Dallas and Tyler, Texas as a result of a joint investigation by the U.S. Drug Administration, Plano Police Department, Internal Revenue Service, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and Smith County Sheriff’s Office.

According to information presented in court, from at least April 2013, Ali and his co-defendants, conspired to distribute synthetic drugs at two retail establishments in the Eastern District of Texas:  Minute Stop/Valero Gas Station located at 11874 Hwy 64 West in Tyler, Texas and Ashes, Smokes and Tattoos located at 1428 Avenue K in Plano, Texas.  Ali and four others were indicted by a federal grand jury on Aug. 3, 2016.

Under federal statutes, Ali faces up to 20 years in federal prison at sentencing.  The maximum statutory sentence prescribed by Congress is provided here for information purposes, as the sentencing will be determined by the court based on the advisory sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors.  A sentencing hearing will be scheduled after the completion of a presentence investigation by the U.S. Probation Office.

This case is being investigated by the DEA, Plano Police Department, IRS, ATF, and the Smith County Sheriff’s Office and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Mary Ann Cozby.