Cedric Townsend, Methamphetamine Trafficking, Tennessee 2020

Jackson Man Sentenced to Over 26 Years for Methamphetamine Trafficking

Jackson, TN – A Jackson man has been sentenced to over 26 years in federal prison for his role in a conspiracy to distribute large quantities of methamphetamine and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime.

According to court documents, Cedric Townsend, 38, was stopped by Dyersburg Police officers on October 6, 2018, for a traffic violation. His driver’s license was suspended and he failed a field sobriety test. A search of his vehicle revealed two baggies of methamphetamine/ice, weighing 17.9 grams.

On January 3, 2019, agents conducted a controlled drug purchase of methamphetamine/ice from Townsend utilizing a confidential source (CS), weighing 5.06 grams at 96% purity. On January 25, 2019, agents conducted a controlled drug purchase from a co-defendant, Connie Stephens by a CS for 13.5 grams of methamphetamine/ice at 99% purity. Townsend was present and distributed 42 grams to Stephens.

During the sentencing hearing, the government presented proof that Townsend attempted to escape custody from the agents after his arrest. He was apprehended a short time later in Fowlkes, South of Dyersburg, TN.

On March 10, 2020, U.S. District Court Chief Judge Thomas Anderson sentenced Townsend to 320 months in federal prison followed by 5 years supervised release. Co-Defendant Connie Stephens was previously sentenced on February 24, 2020 to 168 months in federal prison, followed by 5 years of supervised release.

U.S. Attorney D. Michael Dunavant said, “Armed drug dealers pose a significant public safety risk to our communities, and must be punished and incapacitated in a meaningful way. Individuals who distribute harmful drugs into our rural communities can no longer hide. We are proud to work with our law enforcement partners to use significant federal laws and sentencing to remove this dangerous offender from the streets, and we will continue to do so to reduce the threat of addiction, injury, violence, and death across West Tennessee.”

This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation Safe Streets Task Force, Dyersburg Police Department, Tennessee Bureau of Investigation and the United States Postal Service. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jerry Kitchen prosecuted this case on behalf of the government.

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