Two Texas County Men Sentenced for Meth Conspiracy

SPRINGFIELD, Mo. – Tammy Dickinson, United States Attorney for the Western District of Missouri, announced today that two Texas County, Mo., men have been sentenced in federal court for their roles in a drug-trafficking conspiracy.

Michael D. Strong, 41 of Cabool, Mo., was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge M. Douglas Harpool to 10 years in federal prison without parole. Co-defendant Carl H. Amburn, Jr., 41, of Raymondville, Mo., was sentenced on Monday, Nov. 28, 2016, to 10 years in federal prison without parole.

Strong and Amburn each pleaded guilty to their roles in a conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine in Greene and Texas counties from July 22, 2014, to April 1, 2015. Co-defendant Angela C. Howell, 39, of Cabool, has also pleaded guilty to participating in the drug-trafficking conspiracy and is scheduled to be sentenced on Dec. 7, 2016.

Law enforcement officers executed a search warrant at Amburn’s residence on April 1, 2015. They seized several small plastic bags containing methamphetamine, some or all of which Amburn admitted he intended to distribute to other persons. The plastic bags contained a total of 7.61 grams of pure methamphetamine.

Strong and Howell admitted that they distributed approximately 34.03 grams of methamphetamine (which contained 8.94 grams of pure methamphetamine) to another person in Greene County on July 22, 2014.

This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Timothy A. Garrison. It was investigated by the South Central Drug Task Force, the Missouri State Highway Patrol, the Texas County, Mo., Sheriff’s Department and the Dent County, Mo., Sheriff’s Department.