Joshua Smith, Methamphetamine, Mississippi 2023

A Gulfport man was sentenced to over 18 years in prison for his role in a large-scale methamphetamine trafficking operation in Picayune, Mississippi.

According to court records, Joshua Smith, 39, was sentenced to 222 months in federal prison for possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine.

The investigation into the trafficking organization, which was located largely in Picayune, began in 2015. In 2018, Smith and another co-defendant were identified as being part of the conspiracy.

Federal agents used a confidential source to begin making purchases of methamphetamine from Smith. On November 2, 2018, a DEA confidential source purchased 27.4g of actual methamphetamine at 99% purity from Smith in Picayune, Mississippi.

Smith was indicted on September 7, 2022, and pled guilty on April 5, 2023, to possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine.

The case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Erica Rose. This case is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation.

The OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten the United States by using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks.

Source: https://www.justice.gov/usao-sdms/pr/picayune-man-sentenced-over-18-years-prison-possession-intent-distribute