United States Drug Enforcement Administration

OXFORD, Miss. – A Lowndes County man was sentenced to thirteen years for trafficking in excess of fifty grams of methamphetamine.

According to court documents, Calvin Baskin, 55, of Columbus, Mississippi previously pled guilty in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District to Mississippi to the charge stemming from his arrest on August 8, 2024. Baskin was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Glen H. Davidson to 157 months in prison for the charge. He was further sentenced to five years supervised release following his release from prison.

U.S. Attorney Scott F. Leary, who made this announcement, said, “Mississippians are historically hard workers, not perfect by any means, but dedicated hard workers. Together we have progressed, creating a State that is a wonderful place to live and raise a family. However, some communities here face daily violence driven by the illegal drug trade. To help these communities requires hard work, dangerous work, tirelessly pursued by our state and federal officers. On one level this case may seem mundane, but it is not. This investigation and prosecution reflect the daily vigilance exhibited by state and federal law enforcement. Working together, day by day, we can help our communities be places of safety where hard work and devotion pay off. A special thanks to Sheriff Eddie Hawkins and his Lowndes County office and the DEA for making this a reality.”

“Methamphetamine trafficking brings nothing but misery and crime to our doorsteps,” said Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) Assistant Special Agent in Charge Anessa Daniels-McCaw. “This sentence reflects the gravity of the threat posed by illegal drugs and the power of interagency cooperation. The DEA and our partners will never waver in our efforts to identify, investigate, and prosecute the individuals who prioritize profit over the safety and well-being of our community."
Sheriff Eddie Hawkins, stated, “We are grateful for the strong partnership between the Lowndes County Sheriff’s Office, the Drug Enforcement Administration, and the Mississippi Bureau of Narcotics in bringing this case to a successful conclusion. We also appreciate the diligent prosecution by the United States Attorney's Office, whose work ensured that justice was served. This sentencing sends a clear message that those who traffic illegal drugs and endanger our communities will be held accountable. Through continued cooperation, intelligence sharing, and coordinated enforcement efforts, we remain committed to protecting the citizens of Lowndes County and keeping our communities safe.”

The Drug Enforcement Administration, the Lowndes County Sheriff’s Department, Mississippi Bureau of Narcotics, and U.S. Marshal’s Service investigated and assisted with the case.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Clyde McGee prosecuted the case.

This case is part of the Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) initiative established by Executive Order 14159, Protecting the American People Against Invasion. The HSTF is a whole-of-government partnership dedicated to eliminating criminal cartels, foreign gangs, transnational criminal organizations, and human smuggling and trafficking rings operating in the United States and abroad. Through historic interagency collaboration, the HSTF directs the full might of United States law enforcement towards identifying, investigating, and prosecuting the full spectrum of crimes committed by these organizations, which have long fueled violence and instability within our borders. In performing this work, the HSTF places special emphasis on investigating and prosecuting those engaged in child trafficking or other crimes involving children. The HSTF further utilizes all available tools to prosecute and remove the most violent criminal aliens from the United States.

This case is also a part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.