Methamphetamine Dealer Sentenced to 20 Years in Prison

A 32-year-old Tulsa man convicted of methamphetamine distribution and firearms violations has been sentenced today in U.S. District Court, announced U.S. Attorney Trent Shores.

U.S. District Judge Claire V. Eagan sentenced Veng Xiong to 20 years in prison followed by five years of supervised release. 

On July 30, a jury found Xiong guilty of conspiring to possess with intent to distribute and to distributing 500 grams or more of methamphetamine, possession of a rifle and a short-barreled shotgun in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, and being a felon in possession of firearms.

“Xiong has a lengthy history of trafficking drugs in northern Oklahoma. He actively pursued a criminal lifestyle and now will face 20 years in a federal prison for dealing meth in our communities,” said U.S. Attorney Trent Shores. “Because of the dedicated work performed by investigators and federal prosecutors in this case, Veng Xiong has been brought to justice and Oklahoma’s communities are safer.”

This just result is a direct reflection of excellent work of a multi-agency investigative team and two top-notch federal prosecutors, Ryan Roberts and Chris Nassar.”

During a methamphetamine trafficking investigation, Osage County Sheriff’s Deputies covertly set up a drug deal with an individual who agreed to sell thirty-three pounds of methamphetamine for $500,000. On April 9, 2018, the parties met at a predesignated location in rural Osage County in order to exchange the methamphetamine for cash. Xiong, along with three co-conspirators, arrived in two separate vehicles. At that time, the Osage County and Osage Nation Joint Tactical Response Team conducted a takedown and arrested the four suspects, including Xiong. Upon search of the vehicles, deputies found multiple firearms, including a Glock .40 caliber semi-automatic pistol, a Taurus .38 caliber special revolver, a Winchester 12 gauge shotgun with a sawed-off barrel, and a WASR-10, which is an AK-47 style 7.62x39mm semi-automatic rifle. Both the rifle and the shotgun were found in Xiong’s vehicle. Deputies discovered the handguns and more than five pounds of methamphetamine in the other car.

Xiong was also convicted on two previous occasions in Tulsa County District Court for trafficking in illegal drugs as well as convictions for possessing a firearm while in commission of a felony and for driving under the influence of alcohol.

The Osage County Sheriff’s Office; Osage Nation Tribal Police; FBI; Pawhuska Police Department; Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; and Oklahoma Bureau of Narcotics investigated the case.  Assistant U.S. Attorneys Christopher J. Nassar and Ryan M. Roberts prosecuted the case.