Two Manchester Men Plead Guilty to Conspiring to Distribute More Than 2 Pounds of Methamphetamine

CONCORD – Two men from Manchester pleaded guilty today in federal court to conspiring to distribute methamphetamine, Acting U.S. Attorney Jay McCormack announces.

Joseph Coffey, 31, and Zachary Austin, 41, each pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine.  U.S. District Court Judge Joseph N. Laplante scheduled sentencing for June 9, 2025.  The defendants were indicted on October 9, 2024.

According to the court documents and statements made in court, between July 10, 2024 and September 19, 2024, the defendants sold more than 2 pounds of methamphetamine to law enforcement on five occasions. Most of the drug sales took place at both defendants’ shared residence in Manchester.  Law enforcement later obtained a search warrant for the shared residence and recovered methamphetamine, firearms accessories, and empty rifle magazines and ammunition containers. In addition, on September 16, 2024, Austin was stopped in New Hampshire for a motor vehicle infraction on a return trip from Lawerence, Massachusetts. Law enforcement later searched his vehicle and discovered more than 1 pound of methamphetamine inside.

The charging statute provides a sentence of no greater than 20 years in prison, at least three (3) years of supervised release, and a maximum fine of $1,000,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case.

The Drug Enforcement Administration led the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Aaron Gingrande is prosecuting the case.

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