Fargo Man Sentenced to 17 ½ Years in Synthetic Drug Conspiracy

FARGO – First Assistant U.S. Attorney Chris Myers announced that on March 3, 2014, Andrew Michael Spofford, 23, Fargo N.D., was sentenced before U.S. District Judge Ralph R. Erickson, to serve 17 ½ years in prison for his involvement in the drug conspiracy “Operation Stolen Youth.”

On Oct 29, 2012, Spofford pleaded guilty to one count each of; conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute and distribute controlled substances and controlled substance analogues resulting in serious bodily injury and death, possession of an analogue controlled substance with intent to distribute and distribution resulting in death, distribution of an analogue controlled substance resulting in serious bodily injury, possession of an analogue controlled substance with intent to distribute resulting in death, and causing the introduction into interstate commerce of a misbranded drug.

The conspiracy involved the distribution of an illegal substance through an online business called Motion Resources which imported the illegal psychedelic hallucinogen from several countries and sold them throughout the United States. Spofford helped distribute the hallucinogen in the Grand Forks N.D. area. Spofford and at least 12 others have been charged in connection with “Operation Stolen Youth.” Spofford is also ordered to pay $425 special assessment to the Crime Victims Fund in addition to his sentence.

The case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations, Drug Enforcement Administration, North Dakota Bureau of Criminal Investigations, and Grand Forks Police Department.

First Assistant U.S. Attorney Chris Myers prosecuted the cases.