In Nashville, Tennessee, Steven Weaver, 51, from Murfreesboro, was sentenced to 140 months in prison followed by five years of supervised release. This sentencing was announced by Henry C. Leventis, the United States Attorney for the Middle District of Tennessee. Weaver had earlier admitted guilt to charges related to the conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine. His co-defendant, Jamie Woods, also faced the court’s decision, receiving a sentence of 120 months in prison and five years of supervised release.
The charges stemmed from an investigation initiated in July 2019 by Homeland Security Investigations and the U.S. Postal Inspection Service. The investigation uncovered that multiple packages had been sent from Murfreesboro to Australia and New Zealand, containing methamphetamine hidden in cake mix boxes, often labeled as a “Birthday Gift.” While some of these parcels reached their destinations, authorities intercepted 12 packages which together contained over 20 kilograms of methamphetamine. Impressively, some of the meth bore the fingerprints of the defendants. During the sentencing, U.S. District Judge Aleta Trauger pointed out that an estimated 50 kilograms of methamphetamine were involved in this operation, highlighting the purity and significant quantity of the drug.
Latest TN News
United States Attorney Henry C. Leventis lauded the collaborative efforts of federal and local law enforcement agencies in investigating this case. He emphasized the danger methamphetamine poses and affirmed the commitment to prosecuting those involved in its distribution. Rana Saoud, the Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Nashville Special Agent in Charge, echoed this sentiment, underlining the importance of disrupting the activities of transnational criminal organizations.
The investigation also revealed that two of the incriminating parcels were mailed from the mail room at Middle Tennessee State University (MTSU) on June 25, 2019. Surveillance footage from MTSU and a local Walmart, where Weaver and Woods were seen purchasing large quantities of cake mix boxes, played a crucial role in their identification and subsequent arrest.
The successful prosecution of this case was the result of a coordinated effort involving the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, Homeland Security Investigations, the Rutherford County Sheriff’s Office, the MTSU Police Department, the Murfreesboro Police Department, and Walmart Global Investigations. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Amanda J. Klopf.
Source: Read Original Release
Hoover Gang Members Found Guilty of Rival’s Murder
Three members of the Hoover Criminal Gang were convicted by a federal jury in Tennessee for the 2017 murder of a suspected rival gang member, facing life sentences for their crimes.