Press Release
Contact:
MARK V. COURTADE
ASSISTANT U.S. ATTORNEY
PHONE: (616) 456-2404
KALAMAZOO COUNTY MAN PLEADS GUILTY, ADMITS HIS MANUFACTURING METHAMPHETAMINE CAUSED TWO FIRES IN ONE DAY
TUESDAY, OCTOBER 27, 2009 - GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. – Randy Louis Massey, age 48, of Kalamazoo, pled guilty to a charge of Conspiracy to Manufacture Methamphetamine, U.S. Attorney Donald A. Davis announced today. Massey, who has several prior felony drug convictions, also pled guilty to a supplemental information alleging that he is a repeat offender. He faces a mandatory minimum twenty year prison term and could be sentenced to up to life in prison. Massey is scheduled to be sentenced on February 22, 2010, before the Hon. Paul L. Maloney, Chief U.S. District Judge, sitting in Kalamazoo.
As part of his guilty plea, Massey admitted, among other things, that he was responsible for two different fires in one day with his ‘one pot cook’ method of manufacturing methamphetamine. The first fire took place in the early morning hours of March 1, 2009, at 1972 Steger Avenue in Comstock Township. Kalamazoo fire officials found the basement of the residence already in flames when they arrived. No actual methamphetamine was located because the chemical reactions necessary to produce the drug were still underway when the make-shift laboratory blew up. The residence was damaged but, fortunately, no one was physically harmed. That night, in neighboring Calhoun County, Battle Creek fire officials responded to the Days Inn in Battle Creek where five hotel rooms were actively in flames when they arrived. Subsequent investigation revealed Massey’s criminal manufacturing activity was the cause. The fire damaged the hotel, and one person suffered a severe leg burn.
As part of his guilty plea, Massey acknowledged that he was a leader, organizer or supervisor of five or more persons involved in the criminal activity. In fact, he recruited at least five other people to purchase a necessary ingredient, pseudoephedrine, at numerous pharmacies in southwest Michigan. Massey also admitted that he was responsible for a total of five hundred (500) grams – a half of a kilogram – of methamphetamine. And he agreed to make restitution to those persons, businesses and/or insurance companies suffering loss or damage from the fires that took place.
U.S. Attorney Davis commended the Kalamazoo County Sheriff’s Department, the Kalamazoo Department of Public Safety, the Comstock and Battle Creek Fire Departments along with the Kalamazoo Valley Enforcement Team and the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration for their fine teamwork that led to the charges and resolution of this case. Massey was the last of five conspirators convicted in connection with the matter.
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