Memphis Man Sentenced to 12 Years in Prison for Smuggling Meth in Luggage at Memphis Airport
MEMPHIS, Tn. – Lonnie Moore, Jr., 38, has been sentenced to 12 years in federal prison for possession of methamphetamine with the intent to distribute. United States Attorney D. Michael Dunavant, of the Western District of Tennessee, announced the sentence today.
According to information presented in court, on August 22, 2025, Memphis Airport police officers intercepted luggage that belonged to Moore, who had just landed at the Memphis International Airport from Los Angeles, California. A police K9 indicated the luggage contained narcotics; therefore, officers seized the luggage.
Police discovered that the luggage contained a large clear vacuumed-sealed bag containing 12 individual wrapped bags of a green leafy substance, which weighed a total of 13.10 lbs. This green leafy substance tested positive for marijuana. Additionally, there was another large clear vacuumed-sealed bag containing 2 individual wrapped bags of a hard crystal-like substance, which weighed a total of 9.10 lbs. This substance tested positive, and was later confirmed by a laboratory, for methamphetamine.
On April 15, 2026, Moore pled guilty as charged. Moore has prior convictions in Mississippi for possession of cocaine and methamphetamine. On September 3, 2026, the Honorable United States District Judge Brian C. Lea sentenced Moore to 144 months in federal prison to be followed by five years of federal supervised release. There is no parole in the federal system.
U.S. Attorney D. Michael Dunavant said: “Drug smugglers who use domestic air travel to traffic meth threaten not only the critical infrastructure of the Memphis International Airport, but also the public safety of our citizens. The message is clear: our law enforcement partners will catch you, and we will convict and punish you for importing poison into West Tennessee.”
“This case should serve as a warning to would-be drug traffickers everywhere… find a new line of work; the DEA and our law enforcement partners will find you and bring you to justice”, said DEA Special Agent in Charge Jim Scott. “Mr. Moore will serve a twelve-year prison sentence for his crimes, time that he could have spent as a productive member of society. Instead, he chose criminal behavior and the punishment that goes along with it.”
This case was investigated by the Memphis International Airport Police Department and the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA).
Assistant United States Attorney Greg Wagner prosecuted this case on behalf of the United States government.