KC Meth Kingpin Sentenced to 16 Years

A Kansas City, Mo., man was sentenced in federal court today for his role in a massive drug-trafficking conspiracy that distributed over 20 kilograms of methamphetamine in the metropolitan area.

Kansas City’s Keith A. Clevenger, 51, will spend the next 16 years behind bars after being sentenced by U.S. Chief District Judge Beth Phillips to 16 years in federal prison without parole.

Clevenger pleaded guilty on July 25, 2023, to conspiracy to possess methamphetamine with the intent to distribute, admitting that he purchased approximately 1.2 kilograms of the highly addictive drug from a co-conspirator.

The case unfolded on November 28, 2020, when police officers attempted to pull over Clevenger during a traffic stop near the intersection of Truman and Home Road. In a desperate bid to escape, Clevenger took off on foot, but was quickly apprehended and found to be in possession of 25.7 grams of pure methamphetamine.

Further investigation revealed a Glock .40-caliber pistol in the vehicle, highlighting the violent nature of Clevenger’s operation. With this latest sentencing, 13 out of 13 defendants have been held accountable for their roles in this massive drug-trafficking conspiracy.

The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney David A. Barnes and involved the combined efforts of the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Kansas City, Mo., Police Department, and the Missouri State Highway Patrol.

This case is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation, which aims to dismantle the highest-level criminal organizations threatening the United States. Co-defendant Nicholas A. Taylor, 41, of Kansas City, Mo., was previously sentenced to 19 years in federal prison without parole for his role in the conspiracy.

Taylor admitted to purchasing at least 52 pounds (approximately 23.6 kilograms) of methamphetamine in California and transporting it to Kansas City, where it was distributed to multiple co-defendants.

The OCDETF Program is a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the most significant criminal threats to the United States. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF.