United States Attorney for the Northern District of Texas Ryan Raybould announced on July 8 that the final defendant in a major Lubbock, Texas, methamphetamine trafficking case was sentenced to 18 years in federal prison.
Waylon Williams, age 42, pled guilty in January to one count of distribution and possession with intent to distribute five grams or more of methamphetamine. “These lengthy prison sentences assure North Texans that the federal government is partnering – through the Homeland Security Task Forces – with our great state and local law enforcement officers to dismantle drug traffickers and their networks,” said U.S. Attorney Ryan Raybould. “Methamphetamine is a highly addictive drug that ruins lives and destroys families. Thanks to the hard work of our prosecutors and our law enforcement partners, these individuals have been held accountable for their crimes.”
Five others charged in connection with this case were previously sentenced: Charles Clay Pruitt received 40 years; Jason Lee Garza (also known as “J-Bird”) received 35 years; Brody Wayne Duncan received 20 years; Matthew Young received about 15.6 years; and Veronica Pena (also known as Veronica Zambrano) received 15 years. Sentences were issued by United States District Judge James Wesley Hendrix except for Young, who was sentenced by Fifth Circuit Judge Andrew S. Oldham.
Court documents show that starting as early as 2020, the defendants conspired to distribute large amounts of methamphetamine in Lubbock and Post. The investigation lasted several months and led agents to execute multiple search warrants resulting in seizures of approximately 985 grams of methamphetamine, $9,816 in cash, and several firearms. Authorities also found extensive communications on seized cell phones detailing coordination among conspirators regarding their operation and discussions about destroying evidence before police searches.
The investigation was led by the Texas Department of Public Safety and Drug Enforcement Administration with assistance from several agencies including the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives; Lubbock Police Department; Lubbock County Sheriff’s Office; Garza County Sheriff’s Office; and Texas Anti-Gang Unit. Assistant U.S. Attorney Stephen Rancourt prosecuted the case.
This prosecution falls under the Homeland Security Task Force initiative created by Executive Order 14159: Protecting the American People Against Invasion. The task force brings together multiple agencies targeting criminal cartels, foreign gangs, transnational criminal organizations, human smuggling operations within both domestic borders and abroad—with special emphasis on crimes involving children or violent offenders.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Texas covers a region serving around eight million residents across northern Texas from facilities including Dallas’ Earle Cabell Federal Building along with branch offices in Fort Worth, Lubbock, Amarillo, and Abilene; it employs about 100 assistant attorneys plus support staff while prosecuting federal crimes such as this case—promoting community trust through outreach initiatives—as part of its mission within the U.S Department of Justice, according to its official website.