East Side drug dealer pleads guilty to drug trafficking, firearm charges

Charles Bethany may have played role in 4-year-old boy's shooting death

SAN ANTONIO – A San Antonio man who may have played a role in a drive-by shooting that resulted in the death of a 4-year-old boy pleaded guilty Thursday in federal court on drug trafficking and firearm charges, according to a news release from the U.S. Attorney's Office.

Charles Bethany, 38, was charged with one count of possession with intent to distribute more than 280 grams of crack cocaine and one count of being a convicted felon in possession of a firearm.

He will be sentenced in February, according to the news release.

Court records revealed that Bethany may have been the intended target of a drive-by shooting in the 400 block of Spriggsdale in July 19, 2017.

Later that day, another drive-boy shooting was reported in the 200 block of Hub Street, where a 4-year-old boy was killed.

Though authorities do not believe Bethany was one of the shooters, surveillance video taken at his stash house showed him with multiple firearms moments before and after the shooting. The investigation into those shootings are still ongoing.