United States Drug Enforcement Administration

SAN FRANCISCO, Calif. - Leshawn Lawson was sentenced to 214 months in prison for possession with intent to distribute cocaine, announced United States Attorney Brian J. Stretch and Drug Enforcement Administration Special Agent-in-Charge John J. Martin. The sentence was handed down yesterday by the Honorable Phyllis J. Hamilton, United States District Judge, who found Lawson guilty of the drug charge after a bench trial in July of last year.  

According to court papers, Lawson, 41, of Hayward, Calif., acknowledged he was driving a white Bentley in Livermore, Calif., when he was pulled over by a Livermore police officer. The officer seized more than $10,000 in cash from Lawson and found packaging in the trunk of the car for ten kilograms of cocaine. Lawson admitted that at the time he was pulled over, he knew a controlled substance was in the trunk.  Testing revealed that there were actually 9,957 grams of 87.6% pure cocaine in the trunk of the Bentley. A federal grand jury indicted Lawson on February 19, 2015, charging him with one count of possession with intent to distribute cocaine. Judge Hamilton found Lawson guilty of the charge after a bench trial on July 6, 2016.  

In addition to the prison term, Judge Hamilton sentenced Lawson to a five-year period of supervised release. Lawson has been in custody since his arrest and will begin serving his sentence immediately.  

Assistant U.S. Attorneys Sheila Armbrust and Aaron Wegner are prosecuting the case with the assistance of Michelle Alter and Yanira Osorio. The prosecution is the result of an investigation by the DEA and the Livermore Police Department.