Hot Springs, Arkansas – In a shocking turn of events, 37-year-old Rasheen Murdock of Modesto, California was found guilty of conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine, aiding and abetting in the distribution of methamphetamine, and witness tampering in a three-day jury trial in Hot Springs.
According to evidence presented at the trial, law enforcement investigators in Hot Springs received information from a cooperating source in March 2016 that Murdock was engaged in a methamphetamine drug trafficking operation. The investigation revealed that Murdock supplied eight ounces of methamphetamine to a co-conspirator during the operation and that he supplied additional amounts of methamphetamine to others involved in the conspiracy that were distributed in the Hot Springs area in March of 2016.
After learning of the arrest of one of his co-conspirator’s on March 14, 2016, Murdock left the Hot Springs area and returned to California, where he was ultimately arrested. In November of 2017, while awaiting trial, Murdock was housed in the same cell as one of his co-conspirators. Murdock forced the co-conspirator to write a letter to the Court and the AUSA prosecuting his case stating that Murdock was innocent of all charges.
The co-conspirator advised the Court and Jury that he felt that if he did not do what Murdock asked, there would be conflict, and that the letter Murdock had him write contained all lies.
Murdock was indicted by a Federal Grand Jury. The Second Superseding Indictment was returned by the Federal Grand Jury on March 6, 2018. Sentencing will be held at a later date.
The penalty for the count of conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine is not more than 20 years of imprisonment, not more than $1,000,000 fine, or both. The penalty for the count of aiding and abetting in the distribution of methamphetamine is a mandatory minimum of 20 years, and not more than life imprisonment; not more than a $20,000,000 fine, or both; a term of supervised release for not less than 10 years and up to life. The penalty for count three, Witness Tampering, is not more than 20 years imprisonment, not more than $250,000 fine, or both.
The case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations, the local drug enforcement task force in Garland County, and the Arkansas State Police. Assistant United States Attorneys David Harris and Kim Harris prosecuted the case for the United States.
Key Facts
- State: Arkansas
- Category: Drug Trafficking
- Source: DOJ Press Release â†â€â€
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