Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives

United States Attorney Richard W. Moore of the Southern District of Alabama announced that Andrea Manassa was sentenced to 123 months of imprisonment on January 23, 2020.  Manassa pled guilty in July of 2019 to two charges—possession with intent to distribute crack cocaine and carrying a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking felony.

United States District Court Judge Terry F. Moorer imposed a sentence of sixty three months on the drug charge and ordered that it run consecutive to 60 months on the carrying a firearm in furtherance of the drug trafficking felony, for a total sentence of imprisonment of 123 months.  The judge ordered that when Manassa is released from imprisonment, he will serve four years of supervised release. 

Court records established that on November 27, 2018 law enforcement officers in the City of Prichard, Alabama saw the Manassa in the passenger seat of a car. Officers recognized Manassa and knew he had active felony warrants. The officers also recognized the vehicle as it had fled from law enforcement during a drug investigation approximately one week earlier. Officers approached the vehicle and Manassa fled on foot but was captured. On the passenger floorboard where Manassa was sitting officers recovered approximately 63 grams of crack cocaine and approximately 75 grams of powder cocaine as well as a loaded firearm, a Glock, Model 43, 9mm handgun. Manassa possessed the firearm in furtherance of his drug trafficking to protect his drugs. 

The case was investigated by the City of Prichard Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. (ATF).  It was prosecuted in the United States Attorney’s Office by Assistant United States Attorney George May.

A copy of this press release may be found on the website of the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Alabama at http://www.justice.gov/usao/als/.

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