Laurel Man Sentenced to Over 15 Years in Federal Prison for Methamphetamine

Hattiesburg, Miss. – Jamie Wheat, 42, of Laurel, was sentenced yesterday by U.S. District Judge Keith Starrett to 188 months in federal prison, followed by seven years of supervised release, for possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine, announced U.S. Attorney Mike Hurst and Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) Assistant Special Agent in Charge J. Derryle Smith. Wheat was also ordered to pay a $5,000 fine.

During a traffic stop on May 1, 2017, Wheat was found to be in possession of 446.24 grams of methamphetamine. As part of an ongoing investigation by the DEA, agents learned that Wheat was traveling to deliver the methamphetamine to his co-defendants, Dexter Jones and Mitchell Jones. Wheat pled guilty to the federal charge on March 29, 2018.

Mitchell Jones pled guilty before Judge Starrett on March 29, 2018, and will be sentenced on August 21, 2018. Dexter Jones pled guilty before Judge Starrett on April 5, 2018, and will be sentenced on September 6, 2018.

The case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Mississippi Bureau of Narcotics, the Lamar County Sheriff’s Department, and the Jones County Sheriff’s Department. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Shundral H. Cole.