News Release [print friendly page]
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
November 6, 2002

Methamphetamine Laboratory Operators Sentenced

On November 6, 2002, the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) and the United States Attorney's Office for the Western District of Michigan announced the sentencing of three persons in U.S. District Court for charges involving the manufacture of methamphetamine.

These investigations were conducted by the Drug Enforcement Administration, Kalamazoo Valley Enforcement Team, Michigan State Police, St. Joseph's County Sheriffs Department and the Cooper Township Fire Department. Coordination among these agencies was paramount to the successful prosecution of these defendants who not only endangered the general public by their narcotics enterprises but also by the danger posed by the explosive nature of producing methamphetamine.

On November 4, 2002, in Lansing, Michigan, United States District Judge David W. McKeague found David Gary Holland, 37, of Grand Rapids, to be a career offender and sentenced him to 132 months in prison on the charge of conspiracy to manufacture methamphetamine. The charge involved an investigation that lead to Holland's methamphetamine manufacturing operation in Wyoming, Michigan.

On November 5, 2002, in Kalamazoo, Michigan, United States District Court Judge Richard Alan Enslen sentenced Paul David Walker, 33, of Vicksburg, Michigan to 97 months in prison on counts of conspiracy to manufacturer methamphetamine and possession of pseuephedrine with intent to manufacture methamphetamine. Pseudoephedrine is the primary precursor chemical used for the manufacture of methamphetamine. Walker's co-defendant, Bradley Rutherford, 41, of Galesburg, Michigan was sentenced to 78 months in prison relating to the same charges.

The investigations involving these three individuals involved instances where fires or explosions occurred related to their methamphetamine manufacturing operations. During December 2001, Rutherford ignited an explosion and fire in an apartment where four children were present with evidence of methamphetamine production found in the apartment. Rutherford was admitted to the hospital with burns he suffered in the explosion. Following this incident, Rutherford was attempting to steal anhydrous ammonia, which is also used to manufacture methamphetamine, when he doused himself with the chemical and lapsed into a coma for ten days.

"These methamphetamine operations pose a tremendous risk to anyone within the general area, whether it is from the chemical fumes, toxic waste, fires or explosions. As we saw from these cases, inter-agency cooperation makes the difference and I commend all of the agencies involved in these investigations for their tireless efforts," said Special Agent in Charge Michael A. Braun, of the DEA Detroit Field Division, which oversees the DEA in Michigan, Ohio and Kentucky.