United States Attorney
Northern District of Texas

1100 Commerce St., 3rd Fl.
Dallas, Texas 75242-1699

Telephone (214) 659-8600
Fax (214) 767-0978

WICHITA FALLS MAN SENTENCED TO 27 YEARS
IMPRISONMENT, WITHOUT PAROLE, FOR
ROLE IN METHAMPHETAMINE DISTRIBUTION RING

United States Attorney Richard B. Roper announced that Terry Sheldon Ewing of Wichita Falls, Texas, was sentenced late Friday in Dallas by the Honorable Jerry Buchmeyer, United States Senior District Judge, to 324 months imprisonment, without parole, for his part in a conspiracy to manufacture and distribute methamphetamine.

In September 2005, a federal grand jury in Dallas returned a one-count superseding indictment charging Ewing, along with 10 co-defendants, with conspiracy to manufacture and distribute 500 grams or more of methamphetamine.

In April 2002, Ewing and others began a conspiracy to manufacture and distribute methamphetamine in the Wichita Falls area. During the course of the conspiracy, Ewing and others were caught by local authorities with methamphetamine or with supplies, chemicals, and equipment used to manufacture the illicit substance. Further, local authorities learned that Ewing and his co-conspirators were distributing what they had manufactured to others for monetary profit.

Nine of the 11 defendants charged have been sentenced, as follows:

• Shannon Ray Long --- 360 months

• Ronald Jason Baker --- 108 months

• Ronald Steve Berry --- 97 months

• Clinton Ray Goswick --- 295 months

• Wendell Smith --- 108 months

• Dustin Broadhurst --- 188 months

• Terry Sheldon Ewing --- 324 months

• Phillip Clayton Hincks --- 63 months

• Robert Patrick Shirey --- 121 months

Defendants Michael Keith Smith and Frederick William Sturm have also pled guilty to their role in the offense and are scheduled to be sentenced by Judge Buchmeyer in November.

Ewing admitted that he had “cooked” (manufactured) methamphetamine for Shannon Ray Long on 15 to 20 occasions, with each “cook” yielding approximately five ounces of the drug. Ewing also admitted that he sold methamphetamine for Shannon Ray Long on about 30 separate occasions. Ewing also stated that he cooked methamphetamine with Sturm on 10 to 15 occasions and with Ronald Steve Berry on three to four occasions. On December 27, 2006, law enforcement officers apprehended Terry Sheldon Ewing in Wichita Falls County in a vehicle registered to Shannon Ray Long. At the time, Ewing was in possession of methamphetamine and approximately 5824 grams of a liquid containing a detectable amount of methamphetamine.

United States Attorney Roper praised the investigative efforts of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the North Texas Drug Task Force. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Gary Tromblay.

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