CAPE GIRARDEAU, MO – In a crushing blow to the local drug trade, Clayton E. Barnes, 53, of Kennett, was sentenced to 128 months in federal prison after being caught selling methamphetamine twice within a two-month span this year.
The U.S. District Judge Stephen N. Limbaugh Jr. imposed the stiff sentence on Tuesday for Barnes’ conviction on two counts of distribution of methamphetamine. The court heard that Barnes, a career criminal with a history of drug offenses, sold 54.4 grams of meth for $600 to an informant and a Missouri State Highway Patrol corporal in the parking lot of a local store on August 17th.
Six days later, the corporal returned to the scene, where he purchased an additional 102.62 grams of meth from Barnes for $1,300. The Southeast Missouri Drug Task Force uncovered these transactions and brought Barnes to justice.
Barnes has a lengthy criminal record that includes a 2009 conviction for selling 8 grams of cocaine base and a 2020 conviction for selling 14 grams of meth. His latest actions have earned him a decade in federal prison, sending a clear message about the consequences of drug trafficking.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Julie Hunter was instrumental in the prosecution of this case, leading the investigation and ensuring that Barnes faced justice for his repeated violations of the law.
The community is relieved by this sentence, which sends a strong deterrent message to others who may be contemplating similar crimes. Barnes’ sentence serves as a stark reminder of the severe penalties associated with methamphetamine distribution in Missouri.
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Key Facts
- State: Missouri
- Agency: DOJ USAO
- Category: Drug Trafficking|Fraud & Financial Crimes|Violent Crime
- Source: Official Source ↗
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