Date: 03-23-2021

Case Style:

Case Number: 4:18-cr-00739-AGF-SPM

Judge: Audrey G. Flessig

Court: United States District Court for the Eastern District of Missouri (St. Louis County)

Plaintiff's Attorney: United States District Attorney’s Office

Defendant's Attorney:

Criminal Defense Lawyer Directory

Description: St. Louis, Missouri criminal defense lawyer represented defendant charged with conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine.

Nathaniel Hill, 39, of St. Louis, Missouri, was charged with conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine.

In November 2017 the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and the United States Postal Inspectors Service (USPIS) initiated an investigation into methamphetamine trafficking led by Hill and involving nine co-defendants. Beginning in or about May 2017, Hill and a co-defendant purchased kilogram quantities of methamphetamine from a San Diego source of supply. Initially, Hill arranged for packages of methamphetamine to be sent to St. Louis through the mail. Two of those packages were intercepted by law enforcement: one containing 1.336 kilograms on August 7, 2017; and, one containing 4.4 kilograms on April 9, 2018.

Investigators also applied for and received authorization to wiretap Hill’s cellular telephone. On the wiretap, investigators heard Hill talk to co-conspirators regarding methamphetamine shipments, proceeds, and methods of transportation. The conspirators traveled between San Diego and St. Louis and used hotel rooms and rental cars to facilitate and hide their activities from law enforcement.

During the investigation, a confidential source made several controlled purchases of methamphetamine directly from Hill including 450 grams on December 12, 2017, 223 grams on January 18, 2018, and 224 grams on February 28, 2018.

On June 13, 2018, Hill was present at his residence in the 11000 block of Cadigan expecting a large shipment of methamphetamine. Agents executed a search warrant where they seized 25.064 kilograms of methamphetamine. Investigators also seized multiple firearms, $29,850 in cash, multiple items of jewelry and a BMW sedan, all of which were either derived from proceeds of the sale of methamphetamine or possessed in furtherance of the drug activity.

Based on the intercepted packages, the controlled purchases, the seizures on June 13, 2013, the intercepted calls and other evidence gathered by law enforcement, Hill admitted being responsible for at least 45 kilograms of methamphetamine and consented to the forfeiture of various assets seized by agents.

Judge Fleissig has set sentencing for June 29, 2021.

The St. Louis County Police Department, Federal Bureau of Investigation and United States Postal Inspection Service investigated the case.CONSPIRACY TO DISTRIBUTE AND POSSESS WITH INTENT TO DISTRIBUTE METHAMPHETAMINE, A SCHEDULE II CONTROLLED SUBSTANCE
(1r)
KNOWINGLY AND INTENTIONALLY DISTRIBUTE A MIXTURE OR SUBSTANCE CONTAINING METHAMPHETAMINE, A SCHEDULE II CONTROLLED SUBSTANCE
(2r-4r)
KNOWINGLY AND INTENTIONALLY POSSESS WITH THE INTENT TO DISTRIBUTE A MIXTURE OR SUBSTANCE IN EXCESS OF 500 GRAMS CONTAINING METHAMPHETAMINE, A SCHEDULE II CONTROLLED SUBSTANCE
(5r)
KNOWINGLY POSSESS ONE OR MORE FIREARMS IN FURTHERANCE OF THE DRUG TRAFFICKING CRIME CHARGED IN COUNTS ONE AND FIVE
(6r)
FELON IN POSSESSION OF A FIREARM
(7r)
CONSPIRACY TO COMMIT MONEY LAUNDERING
(8r)

Outcome: Defendant pleaded guilty.

Plaintiff's Experts:

Defendant's Experts:

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