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Press Release

Springfield Man Pleads Guilty to Meth Conspiracy, Illegal Firearm

For Immediate Release
U.S. Attorney's Office, Western District of Missouri

SPRINGFIELD, Mo. – Tammy Dickinson, United States Attorney for the Western District of Missouri, announced that a Springfield, Mo., man pleaded guilty in federal court today to his role in a conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine.

 

Michael E. Ford, 37, of Springfield, pleaded guilty before U.S. Magistrate Judge David P. Rush to the charges contained in a Dec. 9, 2015, federal indictment.

 

By pleading guilty today, Ford admitted that he participated in a conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine from June 1 through Sept. 11, 2015. Ford also pleaded guilty to possessing a firearm in furtherance of that drug-trafficking conspiracy.

 

According to today’s plea agreement, a co-conspirator shipped methamphetamine from California to Springfield in two to two-and-a-half-pound increments to co-defendant Lisa Renae Thompson, 39, of Springfield. Thompson picked up the packages at various hotels in the Springfield area then contacted Ford. Ford picked up the methamphetamine from Thompson and distributed it to others.

 

After a few days, according to the plea agreement, Ford would then meet with Thompson and give her $10,800. Thompson kept $800 and sent $10,000 to the co-conspirator in California.

 

Thompson admitted that she received approximately 24 pounds of methamphetamine, which she gave to Ford. Thompson also kept some of the methamphetamine and sold it directly to others.

 

After Thompson was arrested on Sept. 11, 2015, Ford began receiving methamphetamine shipments for the co-conspirator in California. On Sept. 30, 2015, the Springfield police department received a phone call from a FedEx employee about a suspicious package. Police officers delivered the 2.2-pound package of methamphetamine to Ford at a Springfield residence, where he was arrested. Ford had a Ruger .22-caliber handgun in his possession.

 

Thompson pleaded guilty to her role in the conspiracy on Dec. 13, 2016.

 

Under federal statutes, Ford and Thompson are each subject to a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years in federal prison without parole, up to a sentence of life in federal prison without parole. The maximum statutory sentence is prescribed by Congress and is provided here for informational purposes, as the sentencing of the defendants will be determined by the court based on the advisory sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors. A sentencing hearing will be scheduled after the completion of a presentence investigation by the United States Probation Office.

 

This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Abram McGull II. It was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Springfield, Mo., Police Department.

Updated February 9, 2017

Topics
Drug Trafficking
Firearms Offenses