Meth Conspiracy Charges Land Four Men in Prison
SPRINGFIELD, Mo. – Four Springfield, Mo., men were sentenced in federal court today for their roles in a conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine.
Keith A. Ball, 38, Elshabazz M. Jackson, 32, Bryce S. Amador, 28, and Richard D. Sweaney, 38, were sentenced in separate hearings before U.S. Chief District Judge Beth Phillips. Ball was sentenced to 14 years in federal prison without parole. Jackson and Amador were each sentenced to 11 years and three months in federal prison without parole. Sweaney was sentenced eight years in federal prison without parole.
According to court documents, conspirators transported a large amount of methamphetamine into Springfield for further distribution. Ball and Jackson were stopped by law enforcement officers in Lawrence County, Mo., on Sept. 7, 2018, while in possession of nearly five kilograms of methamphetamine. Law enforcement officers executed a search warrant at Ball’s residence the same day and found a Heritage .22-caliber revolver, a Colt .38-caliber revolver, and a Star Bonifacio Echeverria 9mm semi-automatic pistol.
Ball, Sweaney and Amador each pleaded guilty to participating in a conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine in Greene and Lawrence counties from June 6, 2018, to Sept. 7, 2018. Ball, who was a leader of the conspiracy, also pleaded guilty to possessing methamphetamine with the intent to distribute.
Amador also pleaded guilty to possessing firearms in furtherance of a drug-trafficking crime. Amador was a passenger in a vehicle stopped by law enforcement in Springfield on Sept. 7, 2018. The officer arrested the driver of the vehicle and saw a Davis Industries .380-caliber semi-automatic pistol on the floorboard near Amador’s foot. Amador also was in possession of a Jimenez Arms .380-caliber semi-automatic pistol during the execution of a search warrant at Ball’s residence on the same day.
Jackson pleaded guilty to possessing methamphetamine with the intent to distribute.
The fifth and final co-defendant, Amanda Henderson, 40, of Springfield, was sentenced on June 4, 2021, to five years of probation.
This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Springfield, Mo., Police Department, the Missouri State Highway Patrol, Homeland Security Investigations, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.
Organized Crime and Drug Enforcement Task Force
This case is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF.
