KANSAS CITY, MO – A brazen drug operation funneling a massive quantity of methamphetamine into the Midwest has been cracked, culminating in the indictment of four men and the seizure of over 100 pounds of the deadly drug. The bust, a collaborative effort between the ATF and DEA, exposed a network stretching from California to Missouri, and revealed a stockpile of illegal weapons and over $100,000 in cash.
The operation began to unravel on January 17, 2024, when Oklahoma State Highway Patrol officers intercepted a car hauler carrying a Dodge Magnum packed with approximately 100 pounds of methamphetamine and two pounds of counterfeit fentanyl pills concealed within a subwoofer speaker box. The driver, reportedly uninvolved in the drug scheme, was directed to deliver the vehicle to a Springfield, Missouri parking lot. Agents with the Drug Enforcement Administration orchestrated a controlled delivery, setting the stage for the arrests.
Dontrell Anthony Powell, 34, and his brother, Dreshawn Powell, 26, both of Springfield, arrived at the parking lot to claim the illicit cargo. Shortly after, Willie Murry, Jr., 41, and Mark Monta Logan, 33, both of Parsons, Kansas, pulled up, assisting in jump-starting the Dodge Magnum when it initially failed to start. As Dontrell Powell drove away, followed by the other defendants, agents moved in to make the arrests.
A subsequent search of Dontrell Powell’s Springfield residence turned up a treasure trove of illegal items, beyond the 100 pounds of meth already recovered. Agents discovered an Anderson Manufacturing AM-15 multi-caliber semi-automatic pistol, .223 ammunition, high-capacity magazines, and a staggering $100,000 in cash. Further investigation revealed two shards of crystal methamphetamine hidden in additional subwoofer boxes, four more large subwoofer boxes, and an array of drug paraphernalia. A loaded Glock pistol was also found in one of the defendant’s vehicles. Eight cell phones were seized.
All four men – Dontrell Anthony Powell, Dreshawn Powell, Willie Murry, Jr., and Mark Monta Logan – have been indicted on a seven-count indictment returned by a federal grand jury in Kansas City on February 6, 2024. The charges include conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine, and attempting to possess methamphetamine with intent to distribute. Dontrell Powell faces additional charges of money laundering, possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug-trafficking crime, and being a felon in possession of a firearm, stemming from the recovery of the AM-15 and Glock pistols. He has a prior felony conviction for possession of dangerous drugs for sale. Murry and Logan are also charged with traveling across state lines to facilitate the drug operation.
Federal prosecutors are building their case, and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty. However, the sheer volume of drugs, weapons, and cash seized paints a grim picture of a sophisticated criminal enterprise. The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Missouri is prosecuting the case, promising a relentless pursuit of justice for those involved in poisoning our communities with methamphetamine. The indictment replaces a prior criminal complaint filed on January 19, 2024, adding further weight to the charges.
Related Federal Cases
- Dontrell Anthony Powell, Meth Trafficking, Springfield MO, 2024 · Missouri
- Powell Gets 32+ Years for $1.8M Meth & Fentanyl Ring · Missouri
- Michael Becher, Meth & Fraud, Kansas City MO, 2023 · Missouri
- Brian K. Tice, Heroin, Meth Trafficking, Illegal Firearms, Missouri 2022 · California
- Fentanyl Kingpin James Hughes Sentenced to 10 Years Behind Bars · Missouri
Key Facts
- Agency: ATF
- Category: Drug Trafficking|Weapons|Organized Crime
- Source: Official Press Release
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