Alabaster drug suspect to be sentenced on federal gun charge
Published 9:42 am Tuesday, September 5, 2017
By NEAL WAGNER / Managing Editor
BIRMINGHAM – A suspect in an Alabaster drug case is set to be sentenced on a federal firearms charge in early October after he pleaded guilty to the charge in April, according to U.S. District Court records.
Twenty-five-year-old Demarco Hall, who lists an address on Ninth Avenue in Calera, is set to be sentenced in federal court at 1:30 p.m. on Oct. 11 at the Hugo Black Federal Courthouse in Birmingham.
Through an agreement with prosecutors, Hall entered the guilty plea in exchange for prosecutors recommending he be sentenced to “a term consistent with the low end of the … sentencing guideline range.”
The Shelby County Drug Enforcement Task Force arrested Demarco Hall alongside his father, 44-year-old Jason Hall, on April 21, 2016, and charged them with multiple felonies.
Jason Hall is facing felony counts of possession of a destructive device, first-degree receiving stolen property, possession of an illegal firearm, unlawful possession of a controlled substance, first-degree unlawful possession of marijuana and a misdemeanor count of possession of drug paraphernalia.
Demarco Hall is facing first-degree possession of marijuana, possession of a controlled substance and possession of drug paraphernalia charges.
Task Force members responded to Jason Hall’s house the night of April 21, 2016, after they received an anonymous tip, and made contact with the Halls. After realizing Demarco Hall was on probation for a previous felony domestic violence charge, Task Force members requested help from Office of Probation and Parole officers, and began a search of the suspect’s property.
During their search, officers allegedly discovered seven firearms Jason Hall was not allowed to have because of his criminal history, marijuana, heroin, prescription medication and cocaine. Officers also allegedly discovered materials linking the suspects with the “Gangster Disciples” street gang.
Of the seven firearms allegedly found in Jason Hall’s possession, four were stolen from Calera, Montevallo, Tuscaloosa and Madison County. The firearms charges were turned over to the Birmingham office of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms, according to Drug Task Force Commander Lt. Clay Hammac. Demarco Hall was found to be in possession of a Glock .40-caliber pistol and a Ted Williams 12-gauge shotgun, according to federal court documents.
Also during their search, Hammac said officers discovered an active pipe bomb in a vehicle on the property, prompting the Task Force, the Alabaster Police Department and the Alabaster Fire Department to evacuate a 300-yard radius around the house while the Hoover Police Department’s bomb squad responded to the scene.
Hammac said the bomb squad safely detonated the bomb at the scene before allowing nearby residents to return to their homes.
Charges are still pending against both suspects in Shelby County Circuit Court. Demarco Hall is set to appear in Circuit Court on Nov. 6 at 8:30 a.m., and Jason Hall is set to appear in Circuit Court at 8:30 a.m. on Oct. 3.