Thread: OH: METRICH drug bust turns up illegal alien selling cars

METRICH drug bust turns up illegal alien selling cars
By MARK CAUDILL

News Journal

MANSFIELD -- Sgt. Mike Bammann had no reason to think there was anything unusual about Daouda Doucoure when the METRICH Enforcement Unit recently arrested him.

Doucoure, 35, who has a listed address in Columbus, was charged with aggravated drug trafficking for reportedly selling a pound of marijuana.

It seemed like just another drug bust.

"We made a case on him," Bammann said. "We really didn't get much farther than that."
Police later learned Doucoure has a checkered history.

"We found out that he was an African national," Bammann said. "We found out that a federal task force in Cleveland was looking for him. He was on a deportation list."

Doucoure is from Mali, a small country in northwest Africa. He is not a U.S. citizen, something that has not gone unnoticed by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, a branch of Homeland Security.

"He has a history with immigration," Bammann said. "Apparently, he tried several avenues (to stay in the United States)."

Those avenues included using several different names and trying to set up an arranged marriage, Bammann said.

"Somehow, he found his way to Mansfield," the sergeant said.

Bammann said Doucoure has operated a used car dealership at North Trimble Road and Reed Street for about a year.

"We think the car lot was a type of front," Bammann said.

Since his arrest, Doucoure has remained in the Richland County Jail. ICE has a detainer on him.

"Even if he made bond, he would not be able to leave jail," Bammann said. "They will take him after our local case."

Aggravated drug trafficking is a fourth-degree felony, punishable by up to 18 months in prison.

In the meantime, METRICH is looking further into Doucoure's background.

Bammann said such cases don't come around too often.

"We thought it was neat," he said. "He had kind of gotten under immigration's radar."


mcaudill@nncogannett.com 419-521-

http://www.centralohio.com/apps/pbcs.dl ... 40314/1002

Good storey
Id like to us follow up on this one !!!
Sgt. Mike Bammann
" We think its neat to when we catch these kind of law breakers "

I believe the 18 months for aggravated drug trafficking has to be a mistake. How do you justify only 18 months in prison for a drug dealer? Do you think LULAC will argue that it would be unfair to put him in jail and/or deport him if he has kids -this would separate the family! We do need to watch his case, especially to see if he is granted bail since we know given his past he's definitely a flight risk. Oh, and can we have an interpreter on standby in case he wants to be tried in his native tongue...