Atlanta Woman Sentenced to 204 Months in Prison for Role in Methamphetamine Conspiracy

ABINGDON, Va. –Nancy Degollado, an Atlanta, Georgia woman and the final defendant to be sentenced in a multi-state methamphetamine trafficking conspiracy, was sentenced last week to 204 months in federal prison.

According to court documents, from October 2018 through August 2019, members of a methamphetamine trafficking conspiracy traveled to Georgia, at least three times to acquire a total of seven kilograms of methamphetamine from Degollado, which were then distributed to co-defendants and others in southwest Virginia and northeast Tennessee. 

Co-conspirator Michael Dear, 42, of Bristol, Virginia, and Degollado both accepted responsibility for trafficking 7 kilograms of methamphetamine during the conspiracy. Co-defendants Joshua Sabins,  Donald Thrift, Shannon Chapman, Brandon Cook, Shannon Wilmoth, Robert Osborne, Ashley Firestone, David Sexton, and Nancy Kestner all admitted they distributed methamphetamine acquired from Dear throughout southwest Virginia during this conspiracy.  Multiple firearms were recovered during the course of the investigation, resulting in charges against Dear, Sabins, Thrift, and Chapman for being convicted felons illegally in possession of firearms, and against Osborne for being an unauthorized user of controlled substances in possession of a firearm.   

“Disrupting supply chains of methamphetamine into our region, and the havoc this narcotic wreaks on our citizens, is a high priority for our office,” Acting U.S. Attorney Bubar stated today.  “I am grateful for the dedication and hard work of our law enforcement partners for their efforts in this investigation and disrupting a major source of supply in southwest Virginia.”

“Unfortunately, even though we are still in the middle of a pandemic, our communities have continued to suffer from the effects of dangerous drugs like methamphetamine,” said Attorney General Mark Herring. “My team and I will continue to aggressively go after dangerous individuals who bring drugs into our communities. I want to thank our local, state, and federal partners for their dedication to keeping Virginia safe.”

Dear was sentenced to 188 months in prison for his role in the conspiracy and for being a prohibited person in possession of a firearm.

All eleven defendants have now been sentenced in this case, including:

Sabins, 37, of Bristol, Va, was sentenced to 216 months in federal prison for his role in the conspiracy, as well as charges of possessing a firearm after being a prohibited person and attempting to forcibly assault a federal law enforcement officer. 

Thrift, 31, of Bristol, Va., was sentenced to 60 months in federal prison for his role in the conspiracy, as well as possessing a firearm after being a prohibited person.

Chapman, of Bristol, Va., was sentenced to 72 months in federal prison for her role in the conspiracy, as well as possessing a firearm after being a prohibited person.

Cook, 33, of Marion, Va., was sentenced to serve a total of 168 months in federal prison for his role in this conspiracy, as well as an additional charge of conspiring to distribute methamphetamine in connection with a separate conspiracy. 

Wilmoth, 46, of Bristol, Tn, was sentenced to serve 30 months in federal prison for her role in this conspiracy.

Osborne, 50, of Marion, Va., was sentenced to serve a total of 120 months in federal prison for his role in the conspiracy, as well as a charge of being a user in possession of a firearm and an additional charge of conspiring to distribute methamphetamine in connection with a separate conspiracy.

Firestone, 28, of Saltville, Va., was sentenced to serve 60 months in federal prison for her role in the conspiracy.

Sexton, 45, of Glade Spring, Va., was sentenced to serve 30 months in federal prison for his role in the conspiracy.

Kestner, 41, of Glade Spring, Va., was sentenced to serve 42 months in federal prison for her role in the conspiracy. 

The investigation of the case was led by the Drug Enforcement Administration, with assistance from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Bristol, Va. and Bristol, Tn. Police Departments, Smyth County Sheriff’s Office, Smyth County Commonwealth Attorney’s Office, Turner County, Ga. Sheriff’s Office, United States Marshals, and Washington County Sheriff’s Office. 

Special Assistant United States Attorney M. Suzanne Kerney-Quillen, a Virginia Assistant Attorney General assigned to the Attorney General’s Major Crimes and Emerging Threats Section, and Special Assistant United States Attorney Roy Evans prosecuted the case for the United States.