Correy James Rider, a 44-year-old man from Longview, Texas, is headed to federal prison for 30 years after being convicted in a sprawling East Texas drug trafficking operation. The sentence, handed down by U.S. District Judge Jeremy D. Kernodle, marks the end of a multi-year investigation into a network that flooded local communities with methamphetamine and crack cocaine.
Rider was found guilty by a jury on November 6, 2019, on charges of conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine and possession with intent to distribute both meth and crack cocaine. The conviction followed a lengthy probe led by federal and local law enforcement agencies, which uncovered a pattern of drug sales conducted from motels and residences across Longview.
Court records reveal that in 2017, authorities began tracking drug activity in the area, eventually securing an undercover recording of Rider selling meth and a firearm at a Longview motel. The audio evidence became a cornerstone of the prosecution’s case, illustrating Rider’s dual role as both a narcotics dealer and illegal gun trafficker.
In January 2018, Rider was arrested alongside a co-defendant at another motel, where police seized a cache of drugs, digital scales, surveillance equipment, and other tools of the trade. Investigators determined that Rider and associates used a rotating network of transient locations to avoid detection while maintaining a steady flow of narcotics.
On June 21, 2018, a federal grand jury indicted Rider and 11 others on charges related to violations of federal drug laws. The case was jointly investigated by the FBI’s Dallas Division, Longview Police Department, Gregg County’s Organized Drug Enforcement (CODE) Unit, and the Texas Department of Public Safety, reflecting the coordinated push to dismantle the trafficking ring.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Lucas Machicek and Ryan Locker prosecuted the case, which concluded with today’s sentencing. Rider will serve 360 months in federal prison, a sentence that underscores the severity of his crimes and the federal government’s ongoing crackdown on drug networks in East Texas.
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Key Facts
- State: Texas
- Agency: DOJ USAO
- Category: Drug Trafficking
- Source: Official Source ↗
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