Defendant Sought to Rebuild Life as Meth Kingpin

ASHEVILLE, N.C. – James Christopher Gann, a 36-year-old Asheville man, has been sentenced to 32 years in prison for his role in a massive methamphetamine trafficking operation.

Gann, a previously convicted drug trafficker, was found guilty of conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine, as well as assault with intent to hinder, delay and prevent communication to law enforcement.

According to court records, Gann was convicted in 2007 of conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine and served six years in prison. Upon his release in 2016, he turned to a life of crime once more.

Between 2016 and 2017, Gann trafficked over 22 kilograms of high-purity methamphetamine into North Carolina, recruiting his girlfriend, Elizabeth Ann Hollifield, to assist him in the sale of the illicit substance.

When Hollifield agreed to cooperate with law enforcement, Gann physically assaulted her on two separate occasions in an attempt to silence her.

Hollifield was previously sentenced to 63 months in prison for her role in the operation. All federal sentences are served without the possibility of parole.

The investigation into Gann’s operation was led by Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), with Assistant U.S. Attorney Daniel Bradley prosecuting the case.

Gann’s sentence serves as a stark reminder that those who seek to rebuild their lives through a life of crime will be held accountable for their actions.

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