Please E-mail suggested additions, comments and/or corrections to Kent@MoreLaw.Com.
Date: 03-14-2020
Case Style:
Case Number: 1:18-cr-00025-JPJ
Judge: James P. Jones
Court: United States District Court for the Western District of Virginia (Washington County)
Plaintiff's Attorney: Zachary T. Lee and Cagle Juhan
Defendant's Attorney:
Description: Abington, VA - The United States of America charged Shawn Wayne Farris with conspiracy to possess and distribute meth.
Shawn Wayne Farris, 54, of Rancho Mirage, Calif., was sentenced to 30 years imprisonment today in U.S. District Court in Abingdon. Farris had previously pleaded guilty to one count of conspiring to possess with the intent to distribute 500 grams or more of methamphetamine.
According to evidence presented at previous hearings by Assistant United States Attorney Zachary T. Lee, in early 2017, Operation California Dreaming began investigating the trafficking of methamphetamine between California, Southwest Virginia and Northeast Tennessee. As a result of that investigation, 28 individuals, located in California, Georgia, Virginia and Tennessee, were charged as being members of a drug trafficking organization responsible for the distribution of large quantities of methamphetamine. Charges levied against these individuals included both drug and firearms offenses. Farris was the leader of this drug trafficking organization and was responsible for arranging the shipment and transportation of extremely pure methamphetamine from his home in California to Bristol, Virginia, Bristol, Tennessee and Abingdon, Virginia. Farris also established a large number of distributors to sell the methamphetamine to users in these communities.
In addition to Farris, to date, 26 members charged in the conspiracy have pleaded guilty or been found guilty. One defendant remains a fugitive:
Sean Phillip Maidlow – 300 months imprisonment, conspiracy to distribute 500 grams or more of methamphetamine.
Jair Medina Gutierrez - Fugitive
Lacey Cheri Weir – 300 months imprisonment, conspiracy to distribute 500 grams or more of methamphetamine.
Andrea Nichole Stickel - 210 months imprisonment, conspiracy to distribute 500 grams or more of methamphetamine.
James Nicholas Howington – 168 months imprisonment, conspiracy to distribute 500 grams or more of methamphetamine.
James Robert Johnson – 151 months imprisonment, conspiracy to distribute 500 grams or more of methamphetamine.
Stephen A. Graham – 84 months imprisonment, conspiracy to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine.
Christopher Lee Smiley – 64 months imprisonment, conspiracy to distribute 500 grams or more of methamphetamine.
Joshua Todd Chapman – 168 months imprisonment, conspiracy to distribute 500 grams or more of methamphetamine.
Saleemah Lashawn Roberson – 108 months imprisonment, conspiracy to distribute 500 grams or more of methamphetamine.
Donald Zachary Snyder – 270 months imprisonment, conspiracy to distribute 500 Grams or more of methamphetamine, distribute methamphetamine, and possess a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking offense.
James Skyler Sebastian – To Be Sentenced
Larry Levi Bennett – 235 months imprisonment, conspiracy to distribute 500 grams or more of methamphetamine.
Terry Melvin Dalton – 120 months imprisonment, conspiracy to distribute 500 grams or more of methamphetamine and distribute methamphetamine.
Heather Ashley Davis – 120 months imprisonment, conspiracy to distribute 500 grams or more of methamphetamine.
Brianna Nicole Woodby – 60 months imprisonment, conspiracy to distribute 500 grams or more of methamphetamine.
Donald Shane Hawthorne – 144 months imprisonment, conspiracy to distribute 500 grams or more of methamphetamine.
Gary Lee McFarlane – 135 months imprisonment, conspiracy to distribute 500 grams or more of methamphetamine and distribute methamphetamine
Elizabeth Pauline Eaton – 168 months imprisonment, conspiracy to distribute 500 grams or more of methamphetamine.
Matthew Todd Mullins – 188 months imprisonment, conspiracy to distribute 500 grams or more of methamphetamine, distribute methamphetamine, and manufacture counterfeit United States currency.
Anthony Chadwick Harless -108 months imprisonment, conspiracy to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine.
Kimberly Ann Drake – 210 months imprisonment, conspiracy to distribute 500 grams or more of methamphetamine.
Brandon Heath Whitt – 108 months imprisonment, conspiracy to distribute 500 grams or more of methamphetamine.
Melissa Darlene Barrett – 168 months imprisonment, conspiracy to distribute 500 grams or more of methamphetamine and distribute methamphetamine.
Susan Nicole Payne – 87 months imprisonment, conspiracy to distribute 500 grams or more of methamphetamine and distribute methamphetamine
Bradley Scott Williams – 204 months imprisonment, conspiracy to distribute 500 grams or more of methamphetamine.
Devon Scott Coleman – 211 months imprisonment, conspiracy to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine, possess 50 grams or more of methamphetamine with the intent to distribute, and possess a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking offense.
The investigation of the case was conducted the Abingdon Police Department, Virginia State Police, Washington County Sheriff’s Office, Bristol, Tennessee Police Department, Bristol, Virginia Police Department, the Sullivan County, Tennessee Second Judicial Drug Task Force, Sullivan County Sheriff’s Department, Commerce, Georgia Police Department, New Jersey State Police, United States Postal Inspection Service, United States Marshals Service, United States Secret Service, the Drug Enforcement Administration, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. The Washington County Commonwealth’s Attorney’s Office, Bristol, Virginia Commonwealth’s Attorney’s Office, and the Sullivan County, District Attorney’s Office have assisted in the investigation.
21:846=CD.F - CONSPIRACY TO DISTRIBUTE CONTROLLED SUBSTANCE - 21:841(b)(1)(A) Methamphetamine - (10/23/2018)
(1)
Outcome: Defendant was sentenced to Three hundred sixty (360) months; Supervised Release: Five (5) years; Special Assessment: $100.00.
03/06/2020 997 Minute Entry for proceedings held before Judge James P. Jones:Sentencing held on 3/6/2020 for Shawn Wayne Farris (1), Count 1, CBOP: Three hundred sixty (360) months; Supervised Release: Five (5) years; Special Assessment: $100.00. Defendant remanded to Custody. (Court Reporter: Donna Prather, OCR) (lml)
03/06/2020 998 EXHIBIT LIST - Sentencing as to Shawn Wayne Farris (Attachments: # 1 Gov Exhibit 1, # 2 Gov Exhibit 2) (lml)
03/06/2020 999 ORAL MOTION for Downward Variance Shawn Wayne Farris. (lml) Modified on 3/6/2020 to remove attachment; filed in error (lml).
03/06/2020 1000 ORAL ORDER denying 999 Oral Motion for Downward Variance as to Shawn Wayne Farris (1). Entered by Judge James P. Jones on 3/6/2020. This Notice of Electronic Filing is the Official ORDER for this entry. No document is attached. (lml)
03/06/2020 1001 ORAL ORDER dismissing forfeiture allegation based on the representation of the Government not seeking forfeiture of property as to Shawn Wayne Farris. Entered by Judge James P. Jones on 3/6/2020. This Notice of Electronic Filing is the Official ORDER for this entry. No document is attached.(lml)
03/06/2020 1002 JUDGMENT as to Shawn Wayne Farris (1), Count 1, CBOP: Three hundred sixty (360) months; Supervised Release: Five (5) years; Special Assessment: $100.00. Signed by Judge James P. Jones on 3/6/2020. (lml)
03/13/2020 1007 NOTICE OF APPEAL - Final Judgment to 4CCA by Shawn Wayne Farris (Weston, Seth)
Plaintiff's Experts:
Defendant's Experts:
Comments: