Jackson, Miss. - Bilal Hamid Love, 35, of Meridian, was sentenced today by Senior U.S. District Judge David C. Bramlette III, to 168 months in federal prison, followed by five years of supervised release, for importing the controlled substance AB-PINACA and possessing firearms in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, announced U.S. Attorney Mike Hurst and Jere T. Miles, Special Agent in Charge of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement's Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) in New Orleans.
On March 22, 2015, agents with Homeland Security Investigations and the United States Postal Inspection Service found two packages that were coming from Hong Kong to a resident in Meridian, Mississippi. Inside the packages was AB-PINACA, a powder that is used in making synthetic cannabinoid. Love lives in Meridian and was also the manager at a local sporting goods store in Meridian. Agents searched the sporting goods store and found 3 firearms and numerous packages of synthetic cannabinoid for sale. Agents also searched Love’s home and found numerous items that are used in making synthetic cannabinoid, such as sprayers, AB-PINACA, flavoring, and dryers. Agents also found more firearms, cocaine and marijuana plants.
Love was charged in a multi-count federal indictment on March 7, 2018. He pled guilty on Oct. 16, 2018.
The case was a joint investigation by U.S. Homeland Security Investigations and the Mississippi Bureau of Narcotics, with assistance from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the United States Postal Inspection Service, the East Mississippi Drug Task Force, the Mississippi State Crime Laboratory, and the United States Marshal Service. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Erin Chalk.
Source: U.S. Department of Justice, Office of the United States Attorneys
