NEWS RELEASE
UNITED STATES ATTORNEY'S OFFICE
WESTERN DISTRICT OF VIRGINIA
Julia C. Dudley Acting United States Attorney Brian McGinn Public Affairs Specialist |
BB&T Building 310 1st Street, S.W., Room 906 Roanoke, Virginia 24011 (540) 857-2974 FAX (540) 857-2179 |
May 19, 2008
THREE MEMBERS OF METHAMPHETAMINE DISTRIBUTION CONSPIRACY SENTENCED TO LENGTHY PRISON TERMS
Acting United States Attorney Julia C. Dudley announced today that Juan Manuel Cornejo Garcia, age 24, Brenda Sue Lucas, age 43, and Samuel Lee Simmons, age 28, have been sentenced in United States District Court for the Western District of Virginia in Charlottesville for participating in a conspiracy to distribute more than 500 grams of methamphetamine throughout the Western District of Virginia.
“These individuals were part of a conspiracy that distributed large amounts of methamphetamine into our communities,” Acting United States Attorney Julia C. Dudley said today. “Because of the hard work of all the investigating agencies that worked on this case, there are three fewer drug dealers in our community tonight.”
Simmons was sentenced this week to 157 months of Federal incarceration, to be followed by four years of supervised release. Garcia received a sentenced of 135 months to be followed by a three year period of supervised release and Lucas was sentenced to 37 months of imprisonment to be followed by a four year period of supervised released.
All three, along with nine other co-conspirators, were indicted on charges related to the distribution of methamphetamine on November 14, 2007. All three individuals sentenced today entered guilty pleas in District Court on January 31, 2008.
Simmons pleaded guilty to one count of conspiring to distribute 50 or more grams of a mixture or substance containing a detectable amount of methamphetamine and one count of possessing a firearm during a drug trafficking activity. Garcia pleaded guilty to one count of conspiring to manufacture, distribute and posses with the intent to distribute 500 grams or more of a substance containing a detectable amount of methamphetamine. Lucas pleaded guilty to one count of conspiring to distribute 50 or more grams of methamphetamine.
The investigation of the case was conducted by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives for the United States Attorney’s Office, Western District of Virginia. Special Assistant United States Attorney Ronald Huber and Assistant United States Attorney Rusty Fitzgerald are prosecuting the case.