High-Ranking Member of the Sons of Silence Motorcycle Club Sentenced to 10 Years in Prison for Drugs and Weapons Violations
DENVER – The United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Colorado announces Seburn John Henry IV, age 37 of Colorado Springs, was sentenced to 10 years in federal prison for possession of a firearm by a prohibited person and possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine.
According to the plea agreement, on June 22, 2021, the Colorado Springs Police Department was conducting surveillance on a residence in Colorado Springs that was believed to be involved in narcotics distribution. During surveillance, two detectives observed the defendant working in and around a black Cadillac Escalade parked near the residence they were surveilling. Detectives saw the defendant near the back passenger compartment of the vehicle with a handgun in his right hand. It appeared to the detectives that the defendant was manipulating the slide of the handgun with his left hand. One of the detectives observed the defendant appear to load a firearm magazine. The defendant eventually left in the vehicle with a female passenger. Law enforcement knew the defendant was a high-ranking member of the Sons of Silence Motorcycle Club and also knew the defendant was a previously convicted felon who could not lawfully possess firearms. As such, both detectives believed the defendant was unlawfully in possession of a firearm and notified the CSPD Armed Violent Offenders Unit (AVOU) to respond and attempt to contact the defendant. That same day, law enforcement contacted the defendant as he pulled into a 7-Eleven in the same black Cadillac Escalade he was observed in earlier that day. The defendant was instructed to exit the vehicle, and he complied. One detective walked toward the driver’s door, which was left open, and observed two firearms in the driver’s door pocket. One of the handguns was a Taurus 9mm handgun loaded with a magazine containing 9mm ammunition. The other was a Smith & Wesson 9mm handgun loaded with a magazine containing 9mm ammunition. Law enforcement than began searching the vehicle. During that search, detectives located another handgun in the front passenger floorboard area. This handgun was also found to be loaded with a magazine containing .45 caliber ammunition. At the time the defendant possessed the firearms and ammunition, he knew that he had been convicted of a felony and was prohibited from possessing firearms. Detectives also located a total of 228.88 grams of suspected methamphetamine and two digital scales inside a black bag found on the floor of the front passenger seat in the vehicle.
Judge Raymond P. Moore sentenced the defendant on December 16, 2022.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Colorado Springs Police Department handled the investigation. Assistant United States Attorney Kelly Churnet handled the prosecution.
CASE NUMBER: 21-cr-00236
