Merria Wallace, Methamphetamine and Cocaine Trafficking, Michigan 2024

GRAND RAPIDS - In a major blow to a transnational drug trafficking organization, Merria Wallace, 42, a resident of West Park, Florida with significant ties to Lansing, Michigan, was sentenced to serve 120 months in prison for her role in a multi-state drug trafficking conspiracy.

United States District Judge Jane M. Beckering characterized Wallace as a facilitator for the major drug trafficking organization, finding that she “was a really important part of this operation” – an operation responsible for distributing significant quantities of methamphetamine and cocaine throughout Michigan.

Wallace was the logistics manager for a conspiracy designed to import methamphetamine and cocaine to Michigan for sale. In her role, Wallace tracked packages containing approximately ten kilograms of methamphetamine sent to Michigan from California. She also booked flights for co-conspirators to fly thousands of dollars in drug proceeds to California and then return to Michigan with drugs, including cocaine. On multiple occasions, Wallace even traveled herself, transporting drug money on behalf of one of the conspiracy’s leaders, Jason Demyers.

“The sentences in this case are significant and effectively hampered this transnational drug trafficking organization, which spanned multiple states, including Michigan, Florida, Arizona, and California,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Alexis Sanford. “Our office is committed to combatting these organizations, including sources of supply from other states or countries who are responsible for distributing significant quantities of drugs into our West Michigan communities. We will continue to work with our federal, state, and local law enforcement partners to make our communities safer for everyone.”

During the investigation, law enforcement seized approximately ten kilograms of methamphetamine, eight kilograms of cocaine, multiple pieces of real property used to facilitate the drug trafficking conspiracy, and jewelry valued at approximately $325,000 that constituted proceeds of the drug trafficking conspiracy.

In total, the United States charged fourteen defendants as part of the organization. Twelve of the defendants have pleaded guilty, while two have entered a pretrial diversion program. The Court has imposed the following prison sentences on the convicted defendants:

Name, Residence, Age, Sentence

Jason Demyers, Lansing, Michigan, 44, 324 months

Franchot Barnes, Southern California, 47, 324 months

Jomo Grady, Kalamazoo, Michigan, 51, 210 months

Evette Wallace, Kalamazoo, Michigan, 36, 110 months

Mark Williams, Southfield, Michigan, 54, 105 months

Jamar Goins, Lansing, Michigan, 45, 78 months

Franchot Meadows, Bloomfield, Michigan, 22, 75 months

Ivan Williams, Southfield, Michigan, 35, 63 months

Lanise Moody, Lansing, Michigan, 42, 40 months

Jonathan Conner, Lansing, Michigan, 43, 37 months

Shirley Starks, Lansing, Michigan, 41, 2 years of probation

The Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) and the Lansing Police Department (LPD) began the investigation into Demyers’ drug trafficking organization in October 2022, in partnership with Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI) and the Kalamazoo County Sheriff’s Office.

“The results of this investigation highlight the relentless work the Drug Enforcement Administration and our state and local partners do daily to keep our communities safe,” said DEA Acting Special Agent in Charge Andrew P. Lawton. “With the assistance of the Lansing Police Department and the Michigan State Police, we have succeeded in holding those accountable for flooding our backyards with drugs and weapons. We will continue to prioritize the Mission of the Drug Enforcement Administration and bring those responsible to justice.”

Source: https://www.justice.gov/usao-wdmi/pr/2025_0708_Conner_et_al_Final_Sentencing