James L. Brownridge, Methamphetamine Trafficking, Missouri 2022

St. Louis Man Sentenced to 20 Years for Running Methamphetamine Trafficking Ring

ST. LOUIS, Missouri – In a major blow to the city’s narcotics trade, a 49-year-old St. Louis man has been sentenced to 20 years in prison for running a massive methamphetamine trafficking ring.

James L. Brownridge, a St. Louis resident, pleaded guilty on July 28 to conspiracy to distribute and possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine, cocaine, crack cocaine, heroin, fentanyl, and marijuana.

The investigation into Brownridge’s operation began with a tip to the Drug Enforcement Administration about a low-level drug dealer. From there, investigators uncovered a complex network of drug trafficking that spanned multiple locations in the St. Louis area.

According to court documents, Brownridge arranged to have drugs mailed from Las Vegas to several locations in the St. Louis area. One package found by the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department contained approximately six pounds of methamphetamine. Another package, caught at a postal distribution center in Hazelwood and bound for a home in University City, had nearly three kilograms of cocaine and about two pounds of marijuana.

In addition to the packages, investigators also caught Brownridge selling 884.9 grams of methamphetamine to a co-defendant on March 19, 2021.

When investigators searched homes linked to Brownridge and his co-conspirators in April of 2021, they found drugs, cash, and firearms. At a home in Jennings, they found 1.3 kilos of methamphetamine and caught a woman who had removed 180.9 grams of methamphetamine, 308 grams of cocaine, 102 grams of cocaine base, a drug ledger, and $11,560 in drug proceeds from the house.

At Brownridge’s home in the 5300 block of Mimika Avenue, they found $29,683 in cash, 873 grams of methamphetamine, marijuana, 172 grams of cocaine, a Ruger 9mm firearm with an extended magazine, and a Smith and Wesson 9mm firearm, according to his plea.

In total, Brownridge admitted being responsible for just under six kilos of methamphetamine, 3.3 kilos of cocaine, and 102 grams of cocaine base.

The investigation was a collaborative effort between the Drug Enforcement Administration, the FBI, the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, and the St. Louis County Police Department.

All 11 defendants in the case have pleaded guilty. Four others have already been sentenced, receiving up to 14 years in prison.

Brownridge’s sentence is a significant blow to the city’s narcotics trade and serves as a reminder of the dangers of drug trafficking. The Grimy Times will continue to follow this story and provide updates as more information becomes available.

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