Warrensburg and Independence Men Sentenced In Federal Court For Methamphetamine Related Charges

Tammy Dickinson, United States Attorney for the Western District of Missouri, announced today that a Warrensburg, Mo., man and an Independence, Mo., man were sentenced in federal court for their roles in a conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine.

Phuoc Hong, also known as Tony Hong, 33, of Warrensburg, and Arturo-Lorenzo Roldan, 35, of Independence, Mo., were sentenced in separate appearances before U.S. District Judge Stephen R. Bough. Hong was sentenced to 10 years in federal prison without parole. Roldan was sentenced to five years and 10 months in federal prison without parole.

Both Hong and Roldan pleaded guilty to participating in a conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine from December 2013 to May 2014.

Hong admitted that he sold methamphetamine from his Warrensburg residence and from other locations. During the investigation, an undercover agent for the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives purchased methamphetamine from Hong on 11 occasions and purchased cocaine or crack cocaine from Hong on four occasions.
Roldan admitted that he supplied Hong with approximately one to two ounces of methamphetamine per week, later increasing to two to three ounces per week.

Hong purchased his methamphetamine from Roldan and purchased his cocaine from a different source. Hong supplied methamphetamine to co-defendants Garrett D. Statler, 21, and Alyce M. Maher, 28, both of Warrensburg, Mo., Dylan K. Avery, 19, of Clinton, Mo., and Tony D. Meyer, 43, of Sedalia, Mo.

Statler, Maher and Avery have also pleaded guilty to their roles in the drug-trafficking conspiracy and been sentenced. Meyer pleaded guilty to being a felon in possession of a firearm and awaits sentencing.

Meyer, Statler, Avery and Maher then supplied methamphetamine to others.

The investigation resulted in the purchase or seizure of a total of 424.6 grams of methamphetamine, 68.3 grams of cocaine and 65.7 grams of crack cocaine. In addition to the methamphetamine actually purchased from Hong, it is believed that he is responsible for at least another pound of methamphetamine that he sold to Meyer.

Law enforcement officers conducted a search of Roldan’s residence and seized 88.5 grams of methamphetamine and $12,000 that came from the sale of a pound of methamphetamine to another individual. Based on this, Roldan is responsible for approximately 1.65 kilograms of methamphetamine (an estimated two ounces a week for five months (1120 grams), 88.5 grams found during the search and a pound sale (448 grams) represented by the $12,000).

Meyer admitted that he was in possession of a Hi-Point 9mm pistol when his vehicle was stopped by Kansas City, Mo., police officers on Jan. 18, 2014. Under federal law, it is illegal for anyone who has been convicted of a felony to be in possession of any firearm or ammunition. Meyer has two prior felony convictions for assaulting a law enforcement officer, four prior felony convictions for possession of a controlled substance, two prior felony convictions for distributing a controlled substance, and prior felony convictions for trafficking in drugs, possessing drug paraphernalia, robbery, assault, and leaving the scene of an accident.

This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Bruce E. Clark. It was investigated by the Warrensburg, Mo., Police Department, the Johnson County, Mo., Sheriff’s Department, the Missouri State Highway Patrol, the Knob Noster, Mo., Police Department, the Sedalia, Mo., Police Department, the Kansas City, Mo., Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.

(Courtesy of the Office of the United States Attorney Western District of Missouri)