North Carolina man convicted of firearm, drug trafficking charges by federal jury

Published 8:14 am Thursday, March 18, 2021

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A federal jury convicted a Fayetteville man March 2 on charges of possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, possession with intent to distribute marijuana and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, according to a press release from the Department of Justice, Eastern District of North Carolina.

According to court records and evidence presented at trial, Miguel Marquis Hutchinson, 35, was encountered inside a car at McDonald’s on Bragg Blvd. by Fayetteville police officers investigating a nearby armed robbery.

“Hutchinson matched the description of the armed robbery suspect and provided a false name to the officers. When asked to step out of the car, he made a suspicious movement that caused the officers to jump forward and pin him down. Meanwhile, other officers had observed store security footage which confirmed Hutchinson was not the person being sought for the armed robbery,” stated the release.

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“During the encounter at the car, officers smelled the odor of marijuana and conducted a search of the car which resulted in locating approximately 22 grams of marijuana inside the center console, baggies, and a digital scale. A loaded 9mm Taurus pistol was also located positioned and ready for use between the driver’s seat on the right side pinned against the center console,” continued the release. “Hutchinson was previously convicted of second-degree murder in North Carolina state court in 2006 in Cumberland County, North Carolina.”

Hutchinson faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 5 years’ imprisonment and a maximum sentence of Life in prison when sentenced on June 7, 2021.

G. Norman Acker III, Acting U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina made the announcement after U.S. District Judge Terrence W. Boyle accepted the verdict. Homeland Security Investigations and the Fayetteville Police Department are investigating the case and Assistant U.S. Attorney Gabriel J. Diaz is prosecuting the case.

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