United States Drug Enforcement Administration

KANSAS CITY, Mo. – A New York City man pleaded guilty in federal court today to smuggling more than 10 kilograms of methamphetamine aboard a bus traveling through Kansas City, Missouri, from Los Angeles to New York.

Douglas D. McDowell, 63, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Greg Kays to one count of possessing methamphetamine with intent to distribute.

Officers with the Missouri Western Interdiction and Narcotics Task Force (MoWIN) were conducting interdiction activities at a local bus terminal on May 10, 2021, when a drug detecting police dog indicated the presence of drugs in the checked luggage of the bus undercarriage.

Officers searched two suitcases that belonged to McDowell. One suitcase contained nine bundles of methamphetamine and the other contained 12 bundles of methamphetamine that weighed a total of 10.16 kilograms.

Under federal statutes, McDowell is subject to a sentence of up to life in federal prison without parole. The maximum statutory sentence is prescribed by Congress and is provided here for informational purposes, as the sentencing of the defendant will be determined by the court based on the advisory sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors. A sentencing hearing will be scheduled after the completion of a presentence investigation by the United States Probation Office.

This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Kansas City, Mo., Police Department.