A Detroit-area drug dealer whose sentence was commuted by President Joe Biden is back behind bars just 14 months after his release. Henri Leigh Buckner, 44, was originally sentenced to seven years and 10 months in federal prison for cocaine distribution in May 2023. Biden commuted his sentence on January 17, 2024, as part of a broader initiative to free thousands of nonviolent drug offenders. Buckner had served less than two years of his sentence.
Return to Criminal Activity
According to a criminal complaint filed last Thursday in the US District Court for the Eastern District of Michigan, Buckner allegedly returned to criminal behavior almost immediately after his release. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) conducted both covert and physical surveillance of him since July 2023. Buckner is described as a large-scale narcotics trafficker, charged with distribution and conspiracy to distribute more than five kilograms of cocaine. Law enforcement believes he has been distributing narcotics throughout the city of Saginaw at the kilogram level, with links to Detroit.
Surveillance and Associates
The ATF and the Bay Area Narcotics Enforcement Team (BAYANET) conducted extensive surveillance, becoming so familiar with Buckner that they could identify his vehicles and current address. A confidential source indicated they could purchase narcotics from Buckner's associates. Buckner was charged alongside Tawan Terrell, Emanuel Daniels, and Courtney Terry. Detectives began surveilling Terrell in February and connected him to Buckner in both Detroit and Saginaw.
Last month, detectives observed Buckner driving Terrell's car to Detroit, where they met with Terry, described as Buckner's known associate and girlfriend. Surveillance video showed Terry carrying a pink Bogg-style bag into a storage unit that appeared full, but when she exited, the bag was noticeably less full. A subsequent search warrant revealed a plastic tote with a skunk Sling Smell-Proof Bag and scented dryer sheets concealing seven kilograms of cocaine, each weighing over 1,000 grams with packaging.
Arrest and Charges
Buckner and Terrell were followed to a home in the 300 block of North Carolina Street in Saginaw. Terrell retrieved a small black plastic bag from his back seat and walked toward Buckner. When police arrived, Terrell ran up the driveway and Buckner walked away; both were arrested. The black bag contained a kilogram of cocaine. At a separate home, investigators found more than 600 grams of cocaine hidden in ceiling tiles, 49 grams of crack cocaine in a sock, and evidence of manufacturing crack cocaine, including plastic baggies, a pill press, digital scales testing positive for cocaine, a microwave with cocaine residue, boxes of baking soda, and a Pyrex measuring cup.
Legal Consequences
Buckner is being held at the Bay County Jail. If convicted, he faces at least 15 years in prison. The ATF, which signed the criminal complaint, has been contacted for comment. A lawyer for Buckner was not immediately listed.
