United States Attorney John M. Bales
Eastern District of Texas

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE                                               CONTACT:  DAVILYN WALSTON
TUESDAY, AUGUST 25, 2009                                             PUBLIC INFORMATION OFFICER
http://www.usdoj.gov/usao/txe                            DIRECT: (409) 981-7902    CELL: (409) 553-9881

EAST TEXAS WOMEN GUILTY OF DRUG TRAFFICKING CHARGES

TYLER, TX --            U.S. Attorney John M. Bales announced today that two women have pleaded to federal drug trafficking violations in the Eastern District of Texas.  

            MICHELLE LYNN HITT-BONNER, 30, of Longview, and ASHLEY ANN WALKER, 25, of Bullard, Texas, each pleaded guilty to possession with the intent to distribute methamphetamine today before U.S. Magistrate Judge Judith K. Guthrie.

            According to information presented in court, Hitt-Bonner and Walker were involved in a drug distribution ring responsible for distributing methamphetamine to other individuals in the Longview area from February 2004 to October 2008.  An indictment was returned by a federal grand jury on Feb. 4, 2009, charging 19 individuals, including Hitt-Bonner and Walker with federal drug trafficking crimes.

            Hitt-Bonner faces up to 40 years in federal prison and Walker faces up to 10 years in federal prison at sentencing.  Sentencing dates have not been set.

            This case is being investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the East Texas HIDTA Violent Crimes Task Force, the Gregg County CODE Unit, the Gregg County Sheriff's Office, the Longview Police Department, the Gregg County District Attorney's Office, and the Kilgore Police Department and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Richard L. Moore.

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