Shelbina Man Indicted in Multi-Jurisdictional Federal Meth Investigation
Logan Laws
A Shelbina man was arrested after allegedly being involved in a $4.1 million drug-trafficking conspiracy that distributed more than 520 kilograms of methamphetamine over three years.
On Thursday, July 23, Logan Tanner Laws, 28, was among 11 people, many of the others from the Kansas City and St. Joseph areas, who were added to a federal indictment that now charges a total of 25 defendants for their involvement in the conspiracy.
The federal indictment alleges that all of the defendants, with the exception of one, participated in a conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine from Jan. 1, 2017, to July 21, 2020.
According to the indictment, conspirators received $4,160,000 in exchange for the unlawful distribution of more than 520 kilograms (1,146.4 lbs.) of methamphetamine, based on an average street price of $8,000 per kilogram of methamphetamine.
All of the defendants are also charged with participating in a money-laundering conspiracy during that time to use drug sale proceeds to promote the drug-trafficking conspiracy, and to conceal the proceeds of that drug-trafficking conspiracy.
Each of the defendants, with the exception of three, are charged together with possessing multiple firearms in furtherance of violent crimes and drug-trafficking crimes.
Laws is one of nine who are charged with one count of being drug users in possession of multiple firearms and ammunition.
The indictment also contains a forfeiture allegation, which would require the defendants to forfeit to the government any property obtained from the proceeds of the drug-trafficking conspiracy, including a money judgment of $4,160,000.
The charges contained in this indictment are simply accusations, and not evidence of guilt. Evidence supporting the charges must be presented to a federal trial jury, whose duty is to determine guilt or innocence.
Laws pleaded not guilty at his arraignment on Tuesday, July 28, and the court granted a $10,000 bond.
Law’s trial is set for March 22, 2021.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Bruce Rhoades. It was investigated by the Kansas City, Missouri Police Department, the FBI and the Buchanan County Missouri Sheriff’s Department.
