California Man Sentenced to 21 Years for Meth Conspiracy in Southwest Missouri
Shipped at Least 32 Kilos of Meth
SPRINGFIELD, Mo. – A San Diego man was sentenced in federal court today for shipping large quantities of methamphetamine to southwest Missouri.
Francisco A. Magallon, also known as “Pancho,” 37, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Roseann Ketchmark to 21 years and eight months in federal prison without parole.
On Feb. 17, 2022, Magallon pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine. Magallon admitted that he shipped at least five packages that contained multiple pounds of methamphetamine from California to co-defendant James Mangold, 44, of Mt. Vernon, Mo. Mangold then distributed the methamphetamine to others involved in the conspiracy, which lasted from Jan. 24 to April 14, 2020.
According to court documents, Magallon shipped at least 31.98 kilograms of methamphetamine from California to southwest Missouri.
On April 14, 2020, law enforcement investigators intercepted a package Magallon shipped to the address of co-defendant Dustin Brenneman, 41, of Mt. Vernon, but under a different name. The package contained five bundles of methamphetamine that weighed a total of approximately 6.2 kilograms. An undercover law enforcement officer delivered the package to Brenneman’s residence and was met by Mangold, who accepted and signed for the parcel under the fake name.
According to FedEx records, Magallon shipped seven parcels to Mangold that weighed a total of 85 pounds from Jan. 24 to April 13, 2020. Magallon admitted that five of the parcels he shipped to Mangold contained methamphetamine.
Investigators also intercepted a package that Mangold shipped to Magallon. Mangold used the FedEx drop box at a Mt. Vernon truck stop to mail parcels, priority overnight, to Magallon. On April 3, 2020, investigators intercepted a package Mangold shipped to Magallon that contained approximately $6,000 in cash. Magallon admitted that Mangold shipped nine parcels that contained cash payments for methamphetamine to him between Jan. 24 and April 13, 2020.
Magallon was on probation at the time of this federal offense for illegally possessing ammunition. In addition, Magallon has 10 prior felony convictions for burglary (twice), taking a vehicle without consent, attempting to receive known stolen property, receiving known stolen property, possession of a controlled substance while armed, possession of a controlled substance, felon/addict in possession of a firearm, manufacture/import of a short-barreled rifle, and another prior felony conviction for being a prohibited person in possession of ammunition.
Magallon is among five defendants who have been sentenced in this case. Brenneman was sentenced on July 14, 2022, to five years and six months in federal prison without parole. Mangold and co-defendant John R. Caldwell, 55, of Purdy, Mo., have pleaded guilty and are the only remaining defendants who still await sentencing.
This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Missouri State Highway Patrol, the Combined Ozarks Multi-Jurisdictional Enforcement Team (COMET), the Lawrence County, Mo., Sheriff’s Department, the Mt. Vernon, Mo., Police Department, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.
