Two West Plains, Missouri, men were sentenced in federal court today for their roles in a conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine in Howell, Greene, and Texas counties.
Benny D. Griffin, 59, and Jordan W. Gutierrez, 26, were sentenced in separate appearances before U.S. District Judge Stephen R. Bough. Griffin was sentenced to 15 years in federal prison without parole. Gutierrez was sentenced to 12 years and six months in federal prison without parole.
Griffin and Gutierrez each pleaded guilty on March 25, 2021, to participating in a conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine in Howell, Greene, and Texas counties from Dec. 31, 2015, to June 21, 2019. Griffin also pleaded guilty to possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug-trafficking crime.
On Nov. 26, 2018, law enforcement officers executed a search warrant at Griffin’s residence. They searched Griffin, who had 1.947 grams of pure methamphetamine in his pocket. During a search of the property, officers found a black waterproof case in the wood line approximately 100 yards from the residence. Inside the case, officers found multiple bags of methamphetamine, which totaled 851 grams of pure methamphetamine. Officers also found several bags of marijuana, drug paraphernalia, and surveillance equipment both inside and outside the residence. Officers seized $16,098, which has been forfeited to the government as the proceeds of drug trafficking, from a living room safe. Officers also found a loaded Ruger .22-caliber pistol on the bed in the master bedroom.
Griffin told officers he had obtained the methamphetamine a few days earlier from co-defendant Fontella J. Noose, 40, of Springfield. Griffin rented a vehicle and drove it to Springfield, Mo. He stayed in a hotel while Noose took the vehicle to Tulsa, Oklahoma, to purchase the methamphetamine. Noose picked up three pounds of methamphetamine on the trip and gave him two of the pounds. Griffin said he provided all of the cash for the drugs and Noose owed him $9,000 for her pound and another pound she had kept on a previous transaction.
Griffin told officers he had used Noose as his source of supply for approximately three months and had conducted four or five transactions with her, having gotten three pounds of methamphetamine on each occasion. Griffin said he paid $5,000 per pound of methamphetamine.