A Portland man was sentenced to 10 years in federal prison for his role in a large-scale methamphetamine trafficking operation.
Jonathan James Lawson, 29, was found driving on Interstate 5 in Southern Oregon with over 10 pounds of methamphetamine, nearly 3 pounds of counterfeit fentanyl pills, and two firearms.
Lawson had a prior drug trafficking conviction and was previously charged with possessing with intent to distribute controlled substances and possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. He pleaded guilty to the single charge in May 2022.
The case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF), the Rogue Area Drug Enforcement (RADE) task force, Grants Pass Police Department, and Oregon State Police. It was prosecuted by Marco Boccato, Assistant U.S. Attorney for the District of Oregon.
On March 6, 2021, law enforcement learned Lawson was traveling from Southern California to Josephine County, Oregon with a large quantity of drugs. The next day, law enforcement spotted Lawson driving northbound on Interstate 5 near Grants Pass, Oregon and conducted a traffic stop.
Inside Lawson’s vehicle, officers located a large tool case containing approximately 10 pounds of methamphetamine, 700 grams of counterfeit pills containing fentanyl, body armor, and a revolver. Officers located an additional 480 grams of fentanyl pills, ammunition, drug paraphernalia, and a second firearm elsewhere in the vehicle.
Lawson was sentenced to 120 months in federal prison and five years’ supervised release by the court on February 14, 2023. This case is a prime example of the dangers of large-scale drug trafficking and the importance of cooperation between law enforcement agencies.
Related Federal Cases
- John Doe, Methamphetamine Trafficking, Oregon 2022 · Idaho
- Dennis Richard DeChenne Jr, Methamphetamine Trafficking, Oregon 2023 · Idaho
- Dennis Richard DeChenne Jr., Methamphetamine Trafficking, Oregon 2023 · Idaho
- Lawrence Orlando Lee, Methamphetamine Trafficking, Oregon 2023 · South Dakota
- Steven Allen Longbrake, Methamphetamine Trafficking, Oregon 2015 · South Dakota
Key Facts
- State: Oregon
- Category: Drug Trafficking
- Source: DOJ Press Release â†â€â€
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