ABINGDON, Va. - A Wise County, Virginia man pleaded guilty today to conspiring with others to traffic methamphetamine from Georgia into Lee and Wise counties for further distribution.
According to court documents, Cory Austin Hamond, 23, purchased significant quantities of methamphetamine from co-defendant Daniel Rowland and other sources in Georgia. Hammond then transported the drugs into Lee and Wise County for redistribution. Hammond admitted today to purchasing more than 500 grams of methamphetamine between July 1, 2019 and Dec. 31, 2020.
Hammond pleaded guilty today to one count of conspiring to distribute and possess with the intent to distribute 500 grams or more of methamphetamine and one count of distributing methamphetamine. He is scheduled to be sentenced on Sept. 29, 2021 and faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years in prison and a maximum penalty of life in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Acting U.S. Attorney Daniel P. Bubar of the Western District of Virginia made the announcement.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and the Southwest Virginia Drug Task Force are investigating the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Lena Busscher is prosecuting the case.
Source: U.S. Department of Justice, Office of the United States Attorneys
