A federal jury in Newark has convicted David Reams, 37, of Paterson, on charges related to drug trafficking and illegal firearm possession. The verdict was delivered after a three-day trial before U.S. District Judge Stanley R. Chesler. Sentencing is set for June 30.
Reams was found guilty of unlawful possession of a firearm and ammunition by a convicted felon, possession with intent to distribute fentanyl and cocaine, and possessing a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking.
Court records show that on May 6, 2024, Paterson Police observed Reams behaving in a way that suggested he had a firearm. When detectives tried to stop him, Reams attempted to flee but was apprehended. Officers recovered a loaded 9-millimeter pistol with an extended magazine and over 450 individual doses of fentanyl and crack cocaine from his person.
The charge of being a felon in possession carries up to 15 years in prison and a $250,000 fine. Possession with intent to distribute controlled substances carries up to 20 years imprisonment and up to $1 million in fines. Possession of a firearm during drug trafficking has a mandatory minimum sentence of five years—served consecutively—and could lead to life imprisonment as well as another $250,000 fine.
Reams previously served more than eight years after being convicted in 2017 for similar firearms offenses in the District of New Jersey.
Senior Counsel Philip Lamparello credited the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), led by Acting Special Agent Thomas Kalogiros, along with the Paterson Police Department under Officer Patrick Murray’s direction for their roles in the investigation.
According to officials, this case falls under Operation Take Back America—a nationwide initiative aimed at combating illegal immigration, dismantling cartels and transnational criminal organizations, and protecting communities from violent crime by coordinating efforts through programs like OCDETFs and Project Safe Neighborhoods.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Lauren Kober (Organized Crime/Gangs Unit) and Daniel H. Rosenblum (Narcotics and International Trafficking Unit) represented the government in court proceedings.
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Defense counsel: John McMahon
