A shocking tale of corruption and deceit has come to an end in Corpus Christi, Texas, as Lance Esswein, a 58-year-old former U.S. Navy commander, has been sentenced to 19 years in federal prison for conspiring to possess with the intent to distribute meth and possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime.
CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas – Lance Esswein, a man with a storied past as the commanding officer of the U.S. Navy Minesweeper U.S.S. Ardent, previously served as the risk assessment manager for Nueces County, and worked as an adjunct professor at Texas A&M Corpus Christi, has been handed a severe punishment for his crimes.
On January 30, 2020, Esswein pleaded guilty to the charges brought against him. Today, Senior U.S. District Judge Janis Graham Jack sentenced Esswein to serve 168 months for the drug convictions and 60 months for the firearms convictions. The sentences will be served consecutively for a total 228-month-term of imprisonment. The prison term will be immediately followed by five years of supervised release.
The investigation, conducted by Homeland Security Investigations, revealed that Esswein was responsible for distributing more than 4.5 kilograms of ‘ice.’ Authorities discovered additional meth and numerous firearms staged around the residence, as well as loaded assault rifles positioned just inside the front door.
Furthermore, the investigation revealed significant additional quantities of meth, other narcotics, and firearms at storage units and vehicles controlled by Esswein. The total number of seized firearms was 36, including stolen firearms and firearms with missing serial numbers.
Lance Esswein has been and will remain in custody pending transfer to a U.S. Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Robert D. Thorpe Jr.
Defendant: Lance Esswein
Criminal Charges: Conspiring to possess with the intent to distribute meth, possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime
City and State: Corpus Christi, Texas
Exact Date: January 30, 2020
Sentence or Outcome: 19 years in federal prison, to be served consecutively, with 5 years of supervised release following
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Key Facts
- State: Texas
- Category: Drug Trafficking
- Source: DOJ Press Release â†â€â€
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