Anthony Dwayne Sensabaugh, Methamphetamine Trafficking, Tennessee 2020

A Rogersville man has been sentenced to 15 years in prison for his role in a methamphetamine trafficking operation in Tennessee.

Anthony Dwayne Sensabaugh, 33, of Rogersville, was sentenced on May 26, 2020, by the Honorable Clifton L. Corker in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Tennessee at Greeneville.

Sensabaugh pleaded guilty to possession with the intent to distribute methamphetamine and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. He was sentenced to 180 months in prison, followed by five years of supervised release.

In 2017, the Third Judicial District’s Drug Task Force made controlled purchases of methamphetamine and heroin from Sensabaugh. As a result, the DTF and Hawkins County Sheriff’s Office executed a search warrant on Sensabaugh’s residence. During the authorized search, law enforcement officers were able to recover 17.93 grams of heroin, 14.12 grams of a cocaine-base substance, 14.83 grams of cocaine, 52.24 grams of methamphetamine, 33.36 grams of marijuana, and a loaded .25 caliber pistol.

Sensabaugh admitted to the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) agents and Hawkins County Sheriff’s Office that he frequently made purchases of methamphetamine in actual quantities of four to eight ounces weekly prior to the search warrant executed back in 2017.

“Our office fully supports our law enforcement partners’ investigative efforts to address the resurgence of heroin and other drugs within our region,” said U.S. Attorney J. Douglas Overbey.

“Utilizing two of the DOJ’s national strategies to prevent crime, Project Guardian and Project Safe Neighborhood, this joint collaboration between local, state, and federal partners helped to ensure there is one less gun on the streets that can be used to perpetuate criminal activity,” said ATF Acting Special Agent in Charge Frank Haera.

“This is a great example of local and federal law enforcement agencies working closely to eradicate dangerous drug dealers out of our communities,” said Sheriff Ronnie Lawson of the Hawkins County Sheriff’s Office. “The drug dealer’s residence was located across the street from a middle school, which jeopardized the safety and well-being of school staff and its students.”

The criminal indictment resulted from an investigation by the Hawkins County Sheriff’s Office, the Third Judicial District’s Drug Task Force, and ATF.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Todd Martin represented the United States in court.

This case was brought as part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (“PSN”), a comprehensive national strategy that creates local partnerships with law enforcement agencies to effectively enforce existing gun laws.

This case is part of Project Guardian, the Attorney General’s signature initiative to reduce gun violence and enforce federal firearms laws.

Source: https://www.justice.gov/usao-edtn/pr/rogersville-man-sentenced-15-years-methamphetamine-and-firearm-charges