U.S. Attorney Kevin G. Ritz | U.S. Department of Justice
A federal judge has sentenced Brantley Miller, a 39-year-old resident of Humboldt, Tennessee, to six years in federal prison for his involvement in an organized drug trafficking operation in West Tennessee. Acting U.S. Attorney Reagan Fondren for the Western District of Tennessee announced the sentencing.
The investigation began in 2019 and was conducted by several agencies including the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the West Tennessee Violent Crime and Drug Task Force, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF), and the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA). These agencies used various methods such as controlled narcotics purchases and search warrants to uncover that Kendall Young, Cortez Jackson, and others were transporting methamphetamine, fentanyl, and marijuana from California to Tennessee for distribution.
During this investigation, law enforcement seized over 32 pounds of methamphetamine and more than 101 grams of fentanyl within the Western District of Tennessee. Additionally, three firearms were confiscated from those involved in this conspiracy.
On September 24, 2024, Miller pled guilty to conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine. On December 20, 2024, United States District Court Judge S. Thomas Anderson sentenced him to 72 months in federal prison followed by three years of supervised release. It is noted that there is no parole available in the federal system.
Miller was the last co-defendant sentenced in this drug trafficking case. Other individuals who pled guilty received sentences ranging from two years to over fifteen years:
- Kendall Young received a sentence of 188 months.
- Cortez Jackson was sentenced to 134 months.
- Vanessa Umanzor received a sentence of 43 months.
- Tristen Teague was sentenced to 100 months.
- Orlando Sangster received a sentence of 24 months.
- Jonathan Sandoval was sentenced to 120 months.
- Dejahn Jarrett received a sentence of 72 months.
- Ronnie Young was sentenced to 120 months.
- Jaycent Montrell Pankey received a sentence of 42 months.
- Devon Avery Landers was sentenced to 36 months.
- Joel Lynn Arnold received a sentence of 84 months.
This case is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) initiative aimed at dismantling high-level drug traffickers through collaboration among multiple law enforcement agencies.
Acting U.S. Attorney Reagan Fondren expressed gratitude towards Assistant United States Attorneys Christie R. Hopper and Hillary Parham for prosecuting this case as well as acknowledging all law enforcement partners involved in the investigation.
For further information or updates from the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Tennessee follow their social media platforms or contact their Media Relations Team via email.
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