ELIZABETH CITY, N.C. – A Hertford County man was sentenced to years in prison for producing and trafficking meth.
53-year-old Craig Wayne Simpson was sentenced to 12 years and 6 months in prison and five years of supervised release.
The judge says several factors, including, the substantial risk to human life caused by the production of meth, Simpson’s possession of a loaded shotgun, and the fact that, during the sentencing hearing, the defendant admitted he had lied under oath during the trial, contributed to his sentencing.
“The successful prosecution of this criminal enterprise is putting an armed drug dealer behind bars and taking dangerous meth off our streets,” said U.S. Attorney Michael Easley. “Those involved in making and trafficking meth and other illegal narcotics will spend time in prison.”
Simpson was convicted by a federal jury on April 26, 2022, for the following charges:
- Conspiracy to distribute fifty grams or more of methamphetamine,
- Possession with the intent to distribute fifty grams or more of methamphetamine, and
- Possession of equipment, chemicals, products, and material with the intent to manufacture methamphetamine.
According to court records and evidence presented at trial, he, conspired with others to manufacture and distribute meth from 2013 to 2019. In 2016, Simpson was stopped at a checkpoint and law enforcement found a bag containing materials for making meth along with 170 grams of liquid meth. In 2019, Simpson’s property was searched, and powder meth and more liquid were seized. Law enforcement also recovered all the chemicals, materials, and tools for manufacturing as well as a loaded shotgun, which was positioned on a handrailing pointing towards the front door.
This investigation is part of operation “Speed Bump” which is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) investigation.
