SPRINGFIELD, Mo. - Tom Larson, Acting United States Attorney for the Western District of Missouri, announced that a Springfield, Mo., man was sentenced in federal court today for his role in a conspiracy to distribute large quantities of methamphetamine.
Jeffrey L. Hatch, 47, of Springfield, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge M. Douglas Harpool to 12 years in federal prison without parole.
On Oct. 18, 2016, Hatch pleaded guilty to participating in the drug-trafficking conspiracy that lasted from June 1, 2013, to Nov. 29, 2014. Hatch also pleaded guilty to possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug-trafficking crime.
Beginning in 2012, the Drug Enforcement Administration, assisted by other agencies, investigated a large-scale methamphetamine distribution network in southwest Missouri involving several sources of supply. The investigation resulted in the indictment of 28 co-defendants.
Law enforcement officers executed a search warrant at Hatch’s residence on April 24, 2014, following two drug transactions between Hatch and a confidential source. Officers found approximately 131 grams of methamphetamine in the residence and $1,000 in Hatch’s wallet. Officers also found a Springfield Armory semi-automatic 9mm handgun in a safe, along with drug paraphernalia.
Hatch admitted that he purchased methamphetamine from Daniel Harmon, who was indicted in the Eastern District of Missouri and pleaded guilty to possessing methamphetamine with the intent to distribute and to being a felon in possession of a firearm. After Daniel Harmon’s arrest, Hatch purchased methamphetamine from his co-defendant and Harmon’s wife, Kenna Harmon, who has pleaded guilty to being a leader in the drug-trafficking conspiracy as well as a money-laundering conspiracy and to being a felon in possession of a firearm.
On May 22, 2014, another undercover drug transaction was made by a confidential source who purchased 27 grams of methamphetamine from Hatch for $1,300.
On May 28, 2014, Hatch was arrested during a traffic stop in the parking lot of a Springfield hotel. He was carrying a ziplock bag containing methamphetamine and $1,390. Officers also searched his hotel room and found additional baggies of methamphetamine and drug paraphernalia. In total, officers seized 18 grams of methamphetamine from Hatch that day.
In total, the Harmon drug-trafficking organization was responsible for the distribution of over 45 kilograms of methamphetamine. According to court documents, Hatch purchased ¼ to ½ pounds of methamphetamine per day from the Harmon drug-trafficking organization and during the course of the conspiracy, approximately 150 grams of methamphetamine were seized from him.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Randall D. Eggert, Nhan D. Nguyen and Cynthia J. Hyde. It was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration, IRS-Criminal Investigation, the Missouri State Highway Patrol, the Springfield, Mo., Police Department and Immigration and Customs Enforcement's (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI).
Source: U.S. Department of Justice, Office of the United States Attorneys
