Man Sentenced to 23 Years in Federal Prison for Meth

JACKSON (July 16) — A Weakley County man was sentenced to 23 years in federal prison for methamphetamine charges. Keith Norris, 32, faces 280 months in federal prison for conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine. U.S. Attorney D. Michael Dunavant announced the sentence last week.

According to information presented in court in 2018, the Weakley County Sheriff’s Department (WCSD) in Dresden began an investigation into an ongoing drug trafficking organization apparently led by Norris.

The investigation included search warrants, traffic stops, statements of cooperators, and phone records.

Weakley County investigators received information about Norris distributing methamphetamine to five other alleged co-defendants. During a search of Norris’s residence April 26, 2018, investigators recovered methamphetamine and over $1,300 in currency.

On June 14, 2018, investigators again executed a search warrant on Norris’s residence. Norris was seen attempting to destroy the drug evidence; however, 4.5 ounces of methamphetamine was recovered during the search. Norris was arrested, claimed ownership of all the narcotics recovered, and allowed agents to search his cell phone. Based on his statement, Norris was held accountable for distributing 296 ounces of actual methamphetamine, which equates to more than 4.5 kilograms of actual methamphetamine.

On July 13, 2020, U.S. District Court Chief Judge Thomas Anderson sentenced Norris to 280 months in federal prison, followed by 5 years supervised release. There is no parole in the federal system.

“Drug distribution conspiracies are not victimless crimes. Methamphetamine causes significant human pain, loss and destruction in countless ways, including addiction, injuries, and deaths. Individuals who distribute harmful drugs into our rural communities can no longer hide, and those who choose to engage in such lawlessness will pay the price with a long prison sentence,” Dunavant noted in a press release.

This is the second sentencing in a case involving multiple defendants, including Norris, Robert Thomas, Charles Settles, Justin Tyler Bynum and Solomon Clay on charges of conspiracy to distribute actual methamphetamine. On August 6, 2019, Thomas of Martin was sentenced to 108 months in federal prison, followed by 5 years supervised release for his role in the conspiracy.

This case was investigated by the Weakley County Sheriff’s Department and Martin Police Department.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Jerry Kitchen prosecuted this case on behalf of the government.

Keith Norris