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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE |
March 25 , 2009
JUNCTION CITY MAN GETS 15 YEARS IN CRACK COCAINE TRAFFICKING CASE
TOPEKA, KAN. – Gary Lewis Patterson, 26, Junction City, Kan., has been sentenced to 15 years in federal prison for drug trafficking, Acting U.S. Attorney Marietta Parker said today.
In June 2007, Patterson pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute crack cocaine. The investigation began in April 2004 when the Junction City/Geary County Drug Operations Group became aware that members of a drug trafficking ring regularly were traveling to Wichita, Kan., to purchase cocaine powder that they cooked into crack cocaine and sold in the Junction City area.
On Sept. 21, 2005, investigators arranged for an informant to call Patterson and set up a meeting to purchase cocaine. The informant met co-defendant Tharon L. Johnson at 1710 Bel Air Drive in Junction City and exchanged money for the drugs.
On June 19, 2006, investigators arranged to purchase crack cocaine from Patterson. Patterson and co-defendant Lawshawn Spiller were arrested in the parking lot of Westloop Shopping Center in Manhattan, Kan., while attempting to conduct the transaction.
On Dec. 13, 2006, investigators served a search warrant at a residence in Manhattan, Kan. Patterson fled by climbing from a rear bedroom window. When he was arrested soon after, he had cocaine in his possession.
The co-defendants in the case are:
Tharon Lovell Johnson, who pleaded guilty and is set for sentencing April 15.
Lashawn Linwood Spiller, who pleaded guilty and was sentenced to 120 months in federal prison.
Parker commended the Junction City/Geary County Drug Operations Group, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Kansas Bureau of Investigation, the Riley County Police Department, Assistant U.S. Attorney Randy Hendershot and former Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Jason Coody for their work on the case.
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