Southwest Virginia Man Sentenced for Conspiring to Traffic Methamphetamine from Georgia into Lee and Wise Counties
ABINGDON, Va.– A Wise County, Virginia man was sentenced this week to 135 months in prison for conspiring with others to traffic methamphetamine from Georgia into Lee and Wise counties for redistribution.
According to court documents, Cory Austin Hammond, 23, purchased significant quantities of methamphetamine from co-defendant Daniel Rowland and other sources in Georgia. Hammond then transported the drugs into Lee and Wise County for redistribution. Hammond admitted today to purchasing more than 500 grams of methamphetamine between July 1, 2019 and December 31, 2020.
Hammond pleaded guilty in June 2021 to one count of conspiring to distribute and possess with the intent to distribute 500 grams or more of methamphetamine and one count of distributing methamphetamine.
Rowland, along with co-defendants Jonathan Adam Rollins, Jessica Ann Robey, Eric Matthew Glass, and Justin Shane Cress were indicted in February 2021 and are pending trial.
Acting U.S. Attorney Daniel P. Bubar of the Western District of Virginia and Special Agent in Charge Charlie J. Patterson for the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives made the announcement.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and the Southwest Virginia Drug Task Force are investigating the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Lena Busscher is prosecuting the case.
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