United States Drug Enforcement Administration

ST. LOUIS - James P. Shroba, Special Agent in Charge of the DEA St. Louis Division, today announced that David Wayne Lederhos, 54, of Kansas City, Missouri, was sentenced to 13 years in federal prison after being convicted on the charges of conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine. Lederhos was sentenced by U.S. District Court Brian Wimes, in the Western District of Missouri.

“DEA is committed to keeping our neighborhoods and society safe,” Special Agent in Charge Shroba said. “The multiple law enforcement agencies involved in this investigation, including the United States Attorney’s Office, is a testament to the professionalism, teamwork, and dedication we share with our other federal, state, and local partners, to work together to bring to justice those who seek to distribute poison in our communities.”

During court hearings, evidence presented detailed how a cooperating individual made a controlled purchase of approximately two ounces of methamphetamine from Lederhos at his residence in February, 2016. On February 10, 2016, law enforcement executed a search warrant at Lederhos’s residence, and found multiple baggies of methamphetamine packaged for sale totaling 364 grams, as well as locating drug paraphernalia, marijuana, and a loaded Beretta 12-gauge shotgun.

Following his arrest, Lederhos told investigators he had purchased one pound of methamphetamine the previous day for $8,000, and had further been selling approximately one to two pounds of methamphetamine every day or every other day for four months.

This case was investigated by the DEA, the Missouri State Highway Patrol, the Jackson County Drug Task Force, the Cooper County, Mo., Sheriff’s Department and the East Central Drug Task Force. This case was prosecuted by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Missouri.