Gulfport, Miss. - Joshua Durwin Parish, 37, of Laurel, was sentenced yesterday by U.S. District Judge Keith Starrett to 63 months in federal prison followed by five years of supervised release for possession with intent to distribute 5 grams or more of actual methamphetamine, announced U.S. Attorney Mike Hurst and Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) Assistant Special Agent in Charge J. Derryle Smith. Parish was also ordered to pay a $5,000 fine.
A confidential source called Parish and discussed purchasing methamphetamine. On Nov. 21, 2014, Parish met with the confidential source and sold approximately $850 worth of methamphetamine. The telephone calls and meeting were videoed and audio recorded. DEA agents tested the methamphetamine and it had a 98.7% purity and weighed 25.8 grams. Parish pled guilty on Dec. 19, 2017, to possessing with intent to distribute the methamphetamine.
The case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Mississippi Bureau of Narcotics, and the Jones County Sheriff’s Department. It was prosecuted by former Assistant U.S. Attorney Jerry Rushing and current Assistant U.S. Attorney Kathlyn R. Van Buskirk.
Source: U.S. Department of Justice, Office of the United States Attorneys
