DEA utilizes controlled buys, serve search warrant on day of shipment
A rural Aurora man has pleaded guilty in federal court to three charges relating to a year-and-a-half of methamphetamine distribution in Barry County.
In the United States District Court for the Western District of Missouri, Brian Hall, 45, of Aurora, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine, conspiracy to commit money laundering and possession of a firearm.
According to the factual basis for the guilty plea in the plea agreement, Hall conspired with others to distribute methamphetamine in Barry, Stone, Polk, Lawrence, Greene, Jasper and Newton counties from as early as Nov. 1, 2020 to about April 28, 2022. He also conducted or attempted to conduct financial transactions affecting interstate commerce which involved the proceeds of unlawful activity, as well as being in possession of a Taurus G2c 9mm semiautomatic pistol.
On June 16, 2021, United States Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) Task Force Officers Danielle Heil and Brett Leslie worked with a confidential informant to perform a controlled purchase of one pound of methamphetamine from Hall at his home on Farm Road 2130 in rural Aurora in Barry County. The informant was provided $1,400 and was equipped with a digital recording device.
Officers followed the informant as the controlled purchase was made, then met the informant at a pre-determined location, where the informant handed Heil a large bundle of methamphetamine, which later analysis showed was 413 grams of actual methamphetamine.
The informant said the transaction took place in the garage, with no other persons present. On the digital recording, Hall can be heard telling the informant he needed to go pick up additional methamphetamine.
On June 22, members of the Ozarks Drug Enforcement Team, Federal Bureau of Investigation, Bureau of Indian Affairs and DEA utilized a confidential informant to purchase approximately one pound of methamphetamine from Hall. Arranged through text messages, the informant was supplied $3,500 to complete the purchase, again at Hall’s residence.
When the controlled purchase was complete, the informant met officers at a pre-determined location and delivered a black plastic- wrapped block of methamphetamine. The informant said they met Hall in his shop area, and Hall left that area and returned with the methamphetamine . Analysis showed it contained 431.27 grams of actual methamphetamine.
Hall’s money laundering activities were based in real estate in Barry County. During a voluntary interview on Jan. 19, 2022, J.D. Hunter, of Cassville, told authorities he had owner- financed two properties with Hall, one in Cassville that included some storage units, and another in Wheaton.
Hunter said Hall payed $10,000 per month in cash for the properties, and the he had received about $70,000 from Hall since June 2021.
Following the initial interview, Hunter agreed to keep accepting payments from Hall to assist the DEA in its investigation. On Feb. 15, 2022, Hall contacted the Hunter to deliver a payment, with the two meeting at a gas station in Cassville and Hall turning over a McDonald’s bag containing $10,000 in cash. On Feb. 18, Hunter met with DEA agents at the Monett Police Department to relinquish the cash.
On March 2, 2022, Hall met Hunter at the Hunter’s home in Cassville, where surveillance had been established. Hall provided Hunter with two bundles of cash totaling $10,110, again confiscated by DEA.
On Feb. 22, Hunter was charged in U.S. District court with withholding information on a crime, a Class E felony. Hunter waived the indictment and pleaded guilty.
That plea agreement states Hunter, having knowledge of the actual commission of a felony cognizable by a court of the United States, to wit, conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine, did not as soon as possible make the same known to some judge or other person in civil or military authority under the United States.
Both Hall’s plea agreement and Hunter’s say Hunter admitted to knowing the cash payments were proceeds from Hall’s illegal distribution of methamphetamine. Hunter’s also said although he knew of the distribution and accepted cash payments of drug proceeds, thereby helping Hall conceal his distribution of methamphetamine, Hunter had no involvement in the underlying offense and had no knowledge of the methamphetamine trade.
On April 28, 2022, the Missouri State Highway Patrol’s Division of Drug and Crime Control executed a search warrant at Hall’s residence in Aurora. The search resulted in the seizure of seven pounds of methamphetamine, a stolen firearm and approximately $57,000 in proceeds from meth distribution found in a safe. Also located were financial documents and paraphernalia used for the package and sale of methamphetamine.
In a post-Miranda interview, Hall said he had acquired the firearm in exchange for methamphetamine. He also admitted the money paid to the property owner for the Cassville and Wheaton properties was all proceeds from drug sales.
Hall said he had been distributing large amounts of methamphetamine in southwest Missouri, traveling to Arizona and Oklahoma to purchase 20-50 pounds of methamphetamine. He said he was being supplied by a Hispanic male he knew as “Eddie” who was incarcerated in the Oklahoma Department of Corrections. Hall said he paid the man, later identified as Edward Uribe, $5,000 per kilogram, and for the last several months, he had been communicating with Uribe to facilitate the delivery of multiple kilograms of methamphetamine to his home in Aurora.
He informed officers he was expecting a shipment of approximately 16 kilograms that evening, which he planned to buy with the $57,000 in cash. Officers confirmed the pending transaction through text and voice messages on Hall’s phone. at about 10 p.m. on April 28, a man and woman, Jeffrey Hughley and Jacqueline Bojorquez, arrived at Hall’s residence and were immediately taken into custody. A search of the vehicle resulted in the seizure of 22 pounds (10 kilograms) of methamphetamine, divided between 10 separate garbage bags in the trunk of the vehicle. A firearm was also located in the floorboard of the passenger seat.
An affidavit filed by Heil said Bojorquez admitted she and Hughley had delivered large quantities of methamphetamine to Hall’s residence on at least four occasions, each time taking cash from Hall that was returned to an individual in Oklahoma City.
According to the plea agreement, for the conspiracy to distribute more than 50 grams of methamphetamine, a Class A felony, Hall faces 10 years to life in prison, with no less than five years of supervised release, a $10 million fine and $100 mandatory special assessment per felony count of conviction to be paid at sentencing.
For the Class C felony money laundering, he faces up to 20 years in prison, with no more than three years of supervised release, a fine of no more than $500,000, or twice the value of the property involved in the transactions, whichever is greater, and $100 mandatory special assessment per felony count of conviction to be paid at sentencing.
For the firearm charge, a Class A felony, Hall faces no less than five years in prison, consecutive to any sentence imposed on all other counts, to life in prison, with no more than five years of supervised release, a $250,000 fine and $100 mandatory special assessment per felony count of conviction to be paid at sentencing.
Any sentence of imprisonment imposed by the court will not allow for parole, and Hall may not withdraw his pleas solely because of the nature or length of the sentence imposed. A sentencing date has not been determined.
Hall is also required to forfeit all interests he owns or over which he exercises control, including the $57,000 in cash seized on April 28, 2022.
Hall was represented by Austin Knoblock, and the case was prosecuted by Jessica Eatmon, Assistant United States District attorney.
For his Class E felony, Hunter faces five years probation, or three years imprisonment, one year of supervised release, a fine of $250,000 (or twice the amount of gross gain or gross loss, whichever is greater), an order of restitution and a $100 mandatory special assessment per felony count of conviction to be paid at sentencing. A sentencing date has not been determined.
Hunter was represented by Shane Paul Cantin, and the case was prosecuted by Eatmon.
Hall’s case was investigated by the Missouri State Highway Patrol, the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the FBI, the Bureau of Indian Affairs, the Combined Ozark Multi- jurisdictional Enforcement Team (COMET), the Oklahoma Highway Patrol, the Barry County Sheriff’s Department, the Ozarks Drug Enforcement Team, and the Stone County Sheriff’s Department, the Greene County Sheriff’s Department, the Bolivar Police Department, the Cassville Police Department, the Kimberling City Police Department, and the Springfield Police Department.
