DES MOINES, IA – On January 4, 2012, Edward Eugene Gray, Jr., age 33, of Clarinda, Iowa, pled guilty to conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, announced United States Attorney Nicholas A. Klinefeldt. A sentencing hearing before District Court Judge John A. Jarvey will be scheduled at a later date.
According to the written plea agreement, from approximately January of 2004, until November of 2010, the defendant was involved in the distribution of methamphetamine in the Southwest Iowa and Northwest Missouri areas with co-conspirators Orvis Lee Wagaman, 56, of College Springs, IA; Edward Eugene Gray, Sr., 53, of Coin, IA; and Levi Edward Gray, 23, of Clarinda, IA, and others. Additionally, the defendant was aware that a co-conspirator carried a firearm while distributing methamphetamine with the defendant, and the possession of the firearm was in furtherance of the drug conspiracy.
Orvis Lee Wagaman, Edward Eugene Gray, Sr., and Levi Edward Gray have entered guilty pleas to the drug conspiracy and are pending sentencing. Conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine, has a mandatory minimum sentencing of ten years in prison up to life imprisonment, a fine of up to $10,000,000 or both a fine and imprisonment, and a period of supervised release following imprisonment of at least five years.
Possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking offense, carries a mandatory minimum penalty of five years in prison up to life imprisonment, a fine of up to $250,000, or both a fine and imprisonment, and a period of supervised release of three years. The sentence for possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking offense must be served consecutively to the sentence imposed for the drug conspiracy.
This case was investigated by the Iowa Division of Narcotics Enforcement, Taylor County, Iowa, Sheriff’s Office, Drug Enforcement Administration, Nodaway County, Missouri, Sheriff’s Office, Buchanan County, Missouri, Drug Strike Force, NITRO Task Force (MO), Tri County Task Force (Adams, Ringgold, and Taylor Counties), Ringgold County, Iowa, Sheriff’s Office, Page County, Iowa, Sheriff’s Office, and the Ringgold and Taylor County Attorneys’ Offices. This case was prosecuted by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Iowa.
