Shenandoah Valley News

U.S. Attorney's Office for the District of Western Virginia issued the following announcement on Jan. 13

 A Big Stone Gap, Virginia man, who conspired with others to traffic more than 5,000 grams of methamphetamine from Atlanta, Georgia into Southwest Virginia, was sentenced today to 228 months in federal prison.

Jonathan Adam Rollins, 39, pleaded guilty in October 2021 to one count of conspiring to possess with the intent to distribute and to distribute 500 grams or more of methamphetamine, one count of possessing with the intent to distribute methamphetamine, and one count of possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime.

According to court documents, between July 2019 and December 2020, Rollins conspired with others to  distribute methamphetamine throughout Lee and Wise counties in Virginia.  Rollins made trips from his home in Big Stone Gap to Atlanta, Georgia, to purchase multiple kilograms of methamphetamine at a time for approximately $12,000 per kilogram.  He then transported the methamphetamine back to Southwest Virginia for further distribution to his co-defendants and others.

Co-conspirators  Justin Shane Cress, 33, and Cory Austin Hammond, 23, were each previously sentenced to 135 months incarceration for their roles in the conspiracy. Earlier this week, Eric Matthew Glass, 36, was sentenced to 168 months in prison. Co-conspirators Daniel Eugene Rowland, 46, and Jessica Ann Robey, 35, will be sentenced later this month.

United States Attorney Christopher R. Kavanaugh of the Western District of Virginia and Charlie J. Patterson, Special Agent in Charge of ATF’s Washington Field Division made the announcement.

The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Wise County Sheriff’s Office, the Southwest Virginia Drug Task Force, and the Virginia State Police investigated the case, with assistance from the United States Marshal’s Service.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Lena L. Busscher prosecuted the case.

Original source can be found here.