Melissa Carol Williams, a-PVP Conspiracy, Tennessee 2015

GREENEVILLE, Tenn. – In a major blow to the synthetic drug trade, four more individuals involved in an extensive a-PVP (alpha-pyrrolidinopentiophenone) distribution conspiracy centered in northeast Tennessee, southwest Virginia, and western North Carolina were sentenced to serve time in federal prison.

Melissa Carol Williams, 39, of Greeneville, Tenn., was sentenced to serve 115 months; Jason Kyle Dulworth, 35, of Greeneville, Tenn., was sentenced to serve 46 months; Jonathon Rae Watson, 32, of Concord, N.C., was sentenced to serve 80 months; and, Richard Carmen Ware, 72, of Hendersonville, N.C., was sentenced to serve 60 months.

According to the plea agreements on file with the U.S. District Court Clerk, the combined aggregate total of a-PVP stipulated to by Williams, Dulworth, Watson, and Ware was approximately 19,275 grams.

a-PVP is a synthetic drug, primarily ordered from China, which is commonly referred to on the street as ‘gravel’ or ‘flakka.’ Common effects on users include: extreme paranoia; hallucinations; elevated blood pressure; extremely high body temperature; excited delirium; staying awake for days; hostility and having exceptional strength without apparent fatigue.

Law enforcement agencies participating in this investigation included the Drug Enforcement Administration, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms, Homeland Security Investigations, Sullivan County Sheriff’s Office, Kingsport Police Department, Hawkins County Sheriff’s Department, Johnson City Police Department, Greeneville, Tennessee Police Department, Hendersonville, North Carolina Police Department, and the Scott County, Virginia Sheriff’s Office, all of which provided invaluable assistance during the course of the investigation.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Wayne Taylor represented the United States.

The sentencing of these individuals is a significant victory in our ongoing efforts to disrupt and dismantle the synthetic drug trade in our region.

Mandatory Facts:

Defendant: Melissa Carol Williams, Jason Kyle Dulworth, Jonathon Rae Watson, Richard Carmen Ware
Criminal Charges: a-PVP Distribution Conspiracy
City and State: Greeneville, Tennessee; Concord, North Carolina; Hendersonville, North Carolina
Exact Date: October 26, 2015 – November 9, 2015
Sentence or Outcome: 115 months; 46 months; 80 months; 60 months
Dollar Amounts: Approximately 19,275 grams of a-PVP

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