Anthony Rueben Johnston, Methamphetamine Conspiracy, Texas 2013

Three Defendants Sentenced for Roles in Large Scale Drug Conspiracy

In a significant blow to the methamphetamine trade in the Wichita Falls area, three defendants have been sentenced for their roles in a large scale drug conspiracy. The conspiracy involved the distribution of methamphetamine in the Wichita Falls and Electra areas.

Anthony Rueben Johnston, 28, of Wichita Falls, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Reed C. O’Connor to 480 months (40 years) in federal prison. Johnston pleaded guilty earlier this year to one count of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine.

According to documents filed in the case, Johnston possessed and distributed methamphetamine that he received from his supplier, co-defendant Darren Scott Murphy, Jr. Officers with the Wichita Falls Police Department executed a state search warrant at Johnston’s residence on October 25, 2012, and seized methamphetamine, firearms, and other evidence.

Rachel Dawn Billen, 20, of Wichita Falls, was sentenced to 36 months in federal prison. Billen pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine. Billen admitted that she distributed methamphetamine supplied by Johnston and lied to law enforcement about the ownership of a firearm seized from Johnston’s residence.

Christina Gail Thompson, 32, of Wichita Falls, was sentenced to 42 months in federal prison. Thompson pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine. Thompson admitted that she sold methamphetamine supplied by co-defendant James Allan Holley and that she lied to law enforcement.

The Texas Department of Public Safety, the Wichita Falls Police Department, the Wichita County District Attorney’s Office, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Mary F. Walters is in charge of the prosecution.

The case is a significant example of the ongoing efforts of law enforcement to combat the methamphetamine trade in the Wichita Falls area. The sentencing of Johnston, Billen, and Thompson sends a strong message that those involved in the distribution of methamphetamine will face severe consequences.

The defendants will serve their prison sentences at a federal correctional facility. The case is a reminder that law enforcement will continue to work tirelessly to bring those involved in the methamphetamine trade to justice.

MORE FEDERAL CRIME NEWS

Drug Trafficking

Todd Edward Daniels, Conspiracy to Manufacture Methamphetamine, Iowa 2018

Feb 16, 2018

Drug Trafficking

Angel Valle, Fentanyl Distribution, Maine 2019

Jul 28, 2021

Drug Trafficking

Devon Lamont Johnson, Fentanyl Trafficking, Pennsylvania 2024

Apr 10, 2024

Drug Trafficking

Robert G. Joy, Oxycodone Prescription Forgery, Missouri 2013

Jan 19, 2017