Susanville Man Indicted on Meth, Stolen Guns Charges

SUSANVILLE, Calif. — A 55-year-old man is staring down federal time after being indicted on charges tied to a stash of methamphetamine and a small arsenal of guns, including stolen firearms. Courtney Dale Eames now faces a potential 40-year sentence after a federal grand jury returned a three-count indictment earlier this week.

The charges: possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine, being a convicted felon in possession of a firearm, and possession of stolen firearms. The case stems from a September 2016 raid conducted by Susanville Police Officers who executed search warrants at Eames’s residence. What they found went far beyond street-level drug possession.

Inside the home, investigators uncovered a package of methamphetamine, 32 firearms, and several hundred rounds of ammunition scattered throughout the property. Among the weapons, law enforcement confirmed at least some were reported stolen—triggering the federal charge that could carry significant prison time.

The investigation was a joint effort between the FBI and the Susanville Police Department, highlighting the overlap between local narcotics enforcement and federal firearm statutes. The case is now in the hands of Assistant U.S. Attorney Owen Roth, who will prosecute in U.S. District Court.

If convicted, Eames faces a maximum statutory penalty of 40 years in prison on the methamphetamine charge alone, plus fines and sentencing under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines. The court will weigh statutory factors and guideline ranges, but the sheer volume of weapons and the presence of stolen property stack the deck.

U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert emphasized that the charges are allegations. “The defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt,” he said. For now, the case sits on the docket—a grim reminder of how drug and gun violations can escalate fast in federal court.