Defendants Trafficked Crystal Ice, Oxycodone, and Other Drugs into Virginia from Georgia
Abingdon, VIRGINIA -Two members of a drug distribution organization that trafficked methamphetamine, heroin, oxycodone, cocaine, and other drugs from Georgia into Southwest Virginia were sentenced recently in federal court in Abingdon on drug conspiracy charges. United States Attorney Thomas T. Cullen and Virginia Attorney General Mark R. Herring made the announcement today.
“Opioids and crystal methamphetamine are highly addictive and potentially deadly drugs," U.S. Attorney Cullen stated today. “We will continue to work with our federal, state, and local law enforcement partners to stanch the flow of these substances into Southwest Virginia and prosecute the individuals and organizations responsible for trafficking in them."
“Reducing the availability of crystal methamphetamine and other drugs in Southwest Virginia remains a high priority for my office. We work diligently with our law enforcement partners to crack down on those who transport dangerous drugs into the Commonwealth for distribution," Virginia Attorney General Herring said today. “We appreciate the hard work and dedication of our law enforcement partners and will continue to aggressively prosecute those who endanger the lives of our citizens."
In a hearing last week in U.S. District Court in Abingdon, Christy Marie Doffermyer, 47, of Kingsport, Tenn., was sentenced, to 168 months in federal prison. Doffermyer previously pleaded guilty to one count of conspiring to possess with the intent to distribute and distributing 50 grams or more of methamphetamine, as well as heroin and oxycodone.
On Feb. 15, 2019, Timothy Allen Barr, 51, of Coeburn, Va., was sentenced to 41 months in federal prison. Barr previously pleaded guilty to one count of conspiring to possess with the intent to distribute and distributing oxycodone.
In all, 11 individuals are charged as part of this drug trafficking conspiracy. Seven additional defendants have pled guilty and are scheduled for sentencing in the coming months.
According to court records and evidence presented at previous hearings by Special Assistant United States Attorney and Virginia Assistant Attorney General Suzanne Kerney-Quillen, these defendants conspired to traffic a variety of controlled substances, including methamphetamine, heroin, cocaine, morphine, oxycodone, and alprazolam, from sources in Watkinsville, Athens, and Augusta, Georgia, into Southwest Virginia for redistribution. The organization operated primarily in Lee and Wise counties from November 2016 through March 1, 2018. Arrests on March 1, 2018, resulted in the seizure of approximately 197 grams of crystal ice methamphetamine, in addition to heroin, cocaine, morphine, and oxycodone. Doffermyer admitted she was responsible for conspiring to distribute, possessing with the intent to distribute, and actually distributing 1,000 grams of crystal ice methamphetamine, as well as quantities of heroin and oxycodone. Barr admitted to distributing 900 dose units of 30 milligram oxycodone tablets, which he obtained and distributed during the course of this conspiracy.
The investigation of the case was conducted by the Southwest Virginia Drug Task Force, Virginia State Police, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives. Lee County Sheriff’s Office, Scott County Sheriff’s Office, Wise County Sheriff’s Office, Norton Police Department, Big Stone Gap Police Department, and the U.S. Marshals also assisted with the execution of search warrants and arrests connected with this case. Special Assistant United States Attorney M. Suzanne Kerney-Quillen, a Virginia Assistant Attorney General assigned to the Attorney General’s Major Crimes and Emerging Threats Section, prosecuted the case for the United States.
Source: U.S. Department of Justice, Office of the United States Attorneys
