Meth Trafficker is Sentenced to 11+ Years in Prison
Law Enforcement Seized a Kilogram of Meth from the Defendant’s Vehicle During a Routine Traffic Stop
ASHEVILLE, N.C. – James Leon Massey, 52, of Whittier, N.C., was sentenced to 139 months in prison today followed by five years of supervised release for possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine, announced Dena J. King, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of North Carolina.
Robert J. Murphy, Special Agent in Charge of the Atlanta Field Division of the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), which oversees the Charlotte District Office, Sheriff Doug Farmer of the Jackson County Sheriff’s Office, and Chief Chris Hatton of the Sylva Police Department join U.S. Attorney King in making today’s announcement.
According to filed court documents and court proceedings, on April 1, 2022, at approximately 10:01 p.m., law enforcement conducted a traffic stop of a car driven by Massey for a motor vehicle violation. After stopping the vehicle, law enforcement determined that Massey was driving with a suspended license. Court documents show that over the course of the traffic stop law enforcement conducted a search of Massey’s vehicle. During the search, law enforcement located in the back area of the vehicle’s floorboard a plastic container that contained approximately a kilogram of methamphetamine.
On March 27, 2023, Massey pleaded guilty to possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine. Massey remains in federal custody and will be transferred to the custody of the federal Bureau of Prisons upon designation of a federal facility.
U.S. Attorney King thanked the DEA, the Jackson County Sheriff’s Office, and the Sylva Police Department for their investigation of the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Christopher Hess of the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Asheville handled the prosecution.
The DEA encourages parents, along with their children, to educate themselves about the dangers of legal and illegal drugs by visiting DEA’s interactive websites at www.JustThinkTwice.com, www.GetSmartAboutDrugs.com, www.CampusDrugPrevention.gov, and www.dea.gov . Also follow DEA Atlanta via Twitter at @DEAATLANTADiv
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