Synthetic Drug Trafficker Sentenced
NORFOLK, Va. – Archie Lee McClennan, 66, of Portsmouth, Va., was sentenced today to 211 months in prison for conspiracy to import methylone, an analogue of MDMA, and for carrying and possessing firearms during and in relation to and in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime.
Neil H. MacBride, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, made the announcement after sentencing by United States District Judge Arenda L. Wright Allen.
McClennan previously plead guilty on June 20, 2012. According to court documents, on February 2, 2012, Archie Lee McClennan, along with Michael Casey Brown and Alex Lee McElhaney, were arrested. Two search warrants were executed and resulted in the seizure of one kilogram of methylone, psilocybin, quantities of four other synthetic drugs and 16 firearms. All three admitted their involvement. McClennan admitted that he allowed Brown to arrange delivery of methylone to his residence on multiple occasions and was paid $2,000 per package. McClennan and his grandson, McElhaney, distributed methylone in Portsmouth while armed with handguns. Brown had been ordering methylone online from a laboratory in China since July 21, 2011 and between July 21, 2011 and February 2, 2012, he imported a total of 14.7 kilograms of methylone into the United States with the assistance of McClennan and McElhaney.
Alex Lee McElhaney pled guilty on June 19, 2012. Michael Casey Brown pled guilty on June 22, 2012. Both are scheduled to be sentenced on October 26, 2012.
This case was investigated by the United States Department of Homeland Security-Homeland Security Investigations and the Portsmouth Police Department. Assistant United States Attorney Darryl Mitchell prosecuted the case on behalf of the United States.
A copy of this press release may be found on the website of the United States Attorney's Office for the Eastern District of Virginia at http://www.justice.gov/usao/vae. Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia at http://www.vaed.uscourts.gov or on https://pcl.uscourts.gov.
