United States Drug Enforcement Administration

SOUTH BEND, Ind. – Alfred A. Cooke, Assistant Special Agent in Charge of Drug Enforcement Administration-Merrillville, Indiana, and U.S. Attorney Clifford D. Johnson for the Northern District of Indiana announced that Benjamin J. Hicks III, 42, of Indianapolis, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Chief Judge Jon E. DeGuilio on his plea of guilty to conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine.

Hicks was sentenced to 292 months in prison followed by five years of supervised release. 

According to documents in the case, in May 2019, Hicks agreed with others to buy methamphetamine in California to bring back to the Midwest for distribution. Hicks provided the cash while his co-conspirators flew to California, obtained more than 15 kilograms of methamphetamine, and loaded it into a car. Hicks stayed in contact with the drivers of the car as they transported the methamphetamine across the country, but the car was stopped by law enforcement in Missouri and the methamphetamine was discovered. 

This case was investigated by the DEA with the assistance of the Mishawaka Police Department, the St. Joseph County Drug Investigations Unit, the Indiana State Police and the Missouri State Police. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Joel Gabrielse.