Griffin Sentenced to 27 Years for St. Louis Meth, Fentanyl Ring

ST. LOUIS – U.S. District Judge Stephen R. Clark handed down a 27-year sentence to Stephen Griffin Jr., 51, who presided over a drug trafficking organization that flooded the St. Louis area with hundreds of pounds of meth and fentanyl.

Griffin was sentenced for the main case in 2021, which carried a 25-year term, along with an additional two years for violating supervised release from a 2015 heroin trafficking conviction. His organization’s top lieutenant, Troy Mills, 22, received a 16-year sentence for meth and fentanyl conspiracy charges and possession of a firearm as a felon.

In December 2023, Crystal Miller, 37, was sentenced to 20 years for running stash houses. Twelve others have been sentenced, with five remaining defendants facing sentences in October and November.

During the investigation, authorities seized nearly 40 firearms, over 500 pounds of meth, 22 pounds of heroin, 49 pounds of fentanyl, four vehicles, ammunition, and more than $500,000 in assets. Griffin pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute meth and fentanyl, as well as possession of a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking.

Griffin’s organization initially received drugs through the mail before establishing a second source in Arizona. They used a home health care business as a central hub for operations, including coordinating shipments, sales, and proceeds collection. Mills sourced drugs from Griffin and sold them on to others.

In March 2021, Griffin was arrested with about one kilo of meth and a gun at a stash apartment, where investigators found an additional seven kilos of meth and 15 grams of fentanyl. Drug Enforcement Administration Special Agent in Charge Michael Davis emphasized the impact of Griffin’s actions on families affected by his drug sales.

Inspector in Charge Ruth Mendonça highlighted the Postal Inspection Service’s role in investigating drug distribution using the U.S. Mail, with today’s sentencing reflecting their collaborative efforts with federal law enforcement partners. The DEA, USPS, and US Marshals Service investigated the case, with Assistant U.S. Attorney Stephen Casey leading the prosecution. This operation is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) effort.

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