Mason Allan McCarty, 51, was indicted by a federal grand jury on July 23 and charged with possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine, felon in possession of a firearm, and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, according to United States Attorney for the Northern District of Texas Ryan Raybould.
According to the criminal complaint filed in the case, Amarillo Police Department officers executed a search warrant at the Traveler Motel in Amarillo on June 30. Officers detained McCarty during the search and found approximately 28 grams of suspected methamphetamine in his pocket. Inside the motel room, police discovered an additional bag containing roughly 29 grams of suspected methamphetamine packaged similarly to what was found on McCarty. Officers also recovered a Bersa .380 caliber pistol and a Ruger .22 caliber pistol from inside the room.
The complaint states that after being arrested and advised of his constitutional rights by Amarillo Police Department officers, McCarty admitted to possessing both firearms as well as distributing about 28 pounds of methamphetamine over several months. Federal law enforcement took custody of McCarty from state authorities on July 13. He remains in custody pending further court proceedings. If convicted, he faces up to life imprisonment.
The FBI and Amarillo Police Department conducted the investigation into this case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Anna Marie Bell from the Amarillo Branch Office is prosecuting.
An indictment is merely an allegation of criminal conduct and not evidence; all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in court.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Texas covers approximately eight million residents across a 96,000-square-mile area through facilities including branch offices such as those located in Dallas, Fort Worth, Lubbock, Amarillo and Abilene; it employs around 100 assistant attorneys and support staff who prosecute federal crimes and manage civil litigation for the government as part of its role within the U.S. Department of Justice, according to its official website.