A Springfield man, Semaron Lawson, 38, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Colleen Lawless to 60 months and one day in prison for possession with intent to distribute cocaine and possession of a firearm in furtherance of his drug trafficking crime. Lawson was ordered to serve a three-year term of supervised release following his release from prison.
Lawson was indicted in October 2018 and pleaded guilty in August 2023.
The statutory penalties for possession with intent to distribute cocaine are up to 30 years’ imprisonment, up to a $1,000,000 fine, and up to a life term of supervised release. The statutory penalties for possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime are up to life in prison, up to a $250,000 fine, and up to a five-year term of supervised release.
This case was investigated by the Springfield Police Department and the Drug Enforcement Administration. Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew Z. Weir represented the government in the prosecution.
The case against Lawson is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.