Zachary T. Lee Acting United States Attorney | U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Virginia
A Bristol, Virginia man has been convicted on federal drug charges following a jury trial in Abingdon. Christopher M. Sullivan, 31, was found guilty of conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine and using a communication facility for drug trafficking.
The court heard that Sullivan collaborated with inmate Christopher David Johnson and others to traffic methamphetamine from Georgia into Southwest Virginia. Johnson orchestrated the operation from a Georgia prison using smuggled cell phones, communicating through various platforms including Facebook and WhatsApp.
Sullivan was implicated in distributing methamphetamine, wiring money to Mexico under Johnson's instructions, and paying Johnson for the drugs. Evidence showed his regular communication with Johnson to further the conspiracy's objectives.
In December 2024, Johnson received a 20-year federal prison sentence, to follow his state time, along with ten years of supervised release. Eighteen other individuals involved were sentenced to terms ranging from three to fifteen years. Sullivan now faces a minimum of five years and up to forty years in prison at sentencing.
The announcement came from Acting United States Attorney Zachary T. Lee and DEA Washington Division Special Agent in Charge Ibrar A. Mian. The investigation involved multiple agencies across Georgia, Tennessee, and Virginia.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Whit Pierce and Corey Hall are leading the prosecution.
