Three Defendants Charged as the Result of Seizure of 21.6 Pounds of Methamphetamine at Greyhound Bus Station in Albuquerque
ALBUQUERQUE - Lewayne Deray Jennings, 28, of Southfield, Mich., pled guilty today in federal court in Albuquerque, N.M., to a methamphetamine trafficking charge. Jennings is the second of three defendants to plead guilty to charges arising out of a seizure of 21.6 pounds of methamphetamine on Dec. 28, 2016, by the DEA and New Mexico State Police.
The DEA and New Mexico State Police arrested Jennings and co-defendants Marcus Bernard Harris, 22, of Detroit, Mich., and Jerrell Leveine Whitman-Crutcher, II, 31, of Warren, Mich., on Dec. 28, 2016, after seizing total of 9.8 kilograms (21.6 pounds) of methamphetamine from them during an interdiction investigation at the Greyhound Bus Station in Albuquerque. The criminal complaint setting forth the charges against the three men indicated that the methamphetamine was contained in bundles that were concealed in duffle bags.
Jennings, Harris and Whitman-Crutcher subsequently were indicted on Jan. 24, 2017, and were charged with conspiracy and possession of methamphetamine with intent to distribute on Dec. 28, 2016, in Bernalillo County, N.M.
During today’s change of plea hearing, Jennings pled guilty to a felony information charging him with possession of methamphetamine with intent to distribute. In entering the guilty plea, Jennings admitted transporting methamphetamine to Albuquerque on a Greyhound bus by concealing the methamphetamine in bundles in his luggage.
Harris pled guilty to a similar charge on June 1, 2017.
At sentencing, Jennings and Harris each face a maximum penalty of 20 years in federal prison. Sentencing hearings for the two men have yet to be scheduled.
Whitman-Crutcher has entered a plea of not guilty to the charges against him. Charges in criminal complaints and indictments are merely accusations, and defendants are presumed innocent unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
This case was investigated by the Albuquerque office of the DEA and the New Mexico State Police. Assistant U.S. Attorney David M. Walsh is prosecuting the case.
Source: U.S. Department of Justice, Office of the United States Attorneys
