Defendants Sentenced on Methamphetamine Charges

ABINGDON, VIRGINIA – Three Southwest Virginia residents, who previously pled guilty to charges related to the manufacturing of methamphetamine, were sentenced this week on federal drug charges, United States Attorney John P. Fishwick Jr. and Virginia Attorney General Mark R. Herring announced.

Dana Lynn Vanmeter, 44, of Meadowview, Virginia, pled guilty on August 4, 2016, to one count of conspiring to manufacture methamphetamine, one count of using or maintaining a place for the purpose of manufacturing, distributing, and using methamphetamine, and one count of manufacturing or attempting to manufacture methamphetamine where a minor resided or was present. This week, Vanmeter was sentenced to 60 months’ imprisonment, to be followed by 3 years’ supervised release, a mandatory assessment of $300 and $599 restitution to the Drug Enforcement Administration for the clean-up of a methamphetamine laboratory discovered at her residence.

John Steven Fields, 40, of Glade Springs, Virginia, and Shauna Danielle Davie, 25, of Meadowview, Virginia, both plead guilty in July 2016 to one count each of conspiring to manufacture methamphetamine.   This week, Fields was sentenced to 12 months’ imprisonment, to be followed by 3 years’ supervised release, a mandatory assessment of $100, and was also held jointly and severally responsible for $599 restitution to the DEA.  Davie was sentenced to 2 years’ probation, a mandatory assessment of $100 and was also held jointly and severally responsible for $599 restitution to the DEA.

A fourth defendant, April Fields, has also pled guilty to related charges and is scheduled to be sentenced on January 10, 2017.

“When individuals risk the lives of others, especially children, to manufacture this volatile and deadly drug, they must be punished,” United States Attorney Fishwick said today.  “We will continue to work with our partners from the Attorney General’s Office to attack the problem of methamphetamine trafficking from all sides- enforcement, prevention and treatment.”

“These were very serious crimes and the sentences imposed in these cases reflect the seriousness of the offenses.  Methamphetamine is one of the most dangerous drugs inflicted upon our region of the country and we will continue to work with local, state, and federal partners to vigorously prosecute those who manufacture it,” stated Attorney General Herring.  

Agencies involved in this investigation included the Washington County Sheriff’s Office, Town of Abingdon Police Department, Town of Damascus Police Department, and the Drug Enforcement Administration.  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, is prosecuting the case for the United States.