United States Attorney's Office for the Western District of Virginia

06/09/2025 | Press release | Distributed by Public on 06/09/2025 10:25

Bristol, Virginia Man Convicted on Federal Drug Charges

Press Release

Bristol, Virginia Man Convicted on Federal Drug Charges

Monday, June 9, 2025
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For Immediate Release
U.S. Attorney's Office, Western District of Virginia
Christopher Sullivan Distributed Methamphetamine for Incarcerated Man in Georgia

ABINGDON, Va. - A federal jury convicted a Bristol, Virginia man of conspiring to distribute methamphetamine following a three-day jury trial in U.S. District Court in Abingdon.

Christopher M. Sullivan, 31, was found guilty of one count of conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine and one count of using a communication facility in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime.

According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, Sullivan conspired with Christopher David Johnson - an inmate in a Georgia state prison - and numerous others to traffic and distribute kilograms of methamphetamine from Georgia into Southwest Virginia.

Johnson used smuggled cell phones to operate a large-scale methamphetamine-distribution operation from his prison cell in Georgia. He regularly communicated with his co-conspirators using Facebook, WhatsApp, Signal, phone calls, and text messaging to coordinate deliveries, pricing, quantities, recruitment, intimidation, and sales.

Evidence showed that Sullivan regularly communicated with Johnson to accomplish the goals of the conspiracy. Sullivan also distributed methamphetamine for Johnson, wired money to Mexico at Johnson's direction, and paid Johnson for methamphetamine.

In December 2024, Johnson was sentenced for his role in the conspiracy to 20 years in federal prison - to run following his state prison time - and ten years of supervised release. Eighteen other defendants received prison sentences ranging from three to fifteen years. At sentencing, Sullivan faces a minimum prison sentence of 5 years and a maximum sentence of 40 years.

Acting United States Attorney Zachary T. Lee and Special Agent in Charge Ibrar A. Mian of the DEA Washington Division made the announcement.

The Drug Enforcement Administration and multiple law enforcement agencies in Georgia, Tennessee, and Virginia investigated the case, including the Bristol (Tennessee) Police Department, the Bristol (Virginia) Police Department, the Sullivan County Sheriff's Office, the 2nd Judicial Drug Task Force, and the Georgia State Patrol.

Assistant U.S. Attorneys Whit Pierce and Corey Hall are prosecuting the case.

Updated June 9, 2025
Topic
Drug Trafficking
Component
USAO - Virginia, Western
United States Attorney's Office for the Western District of Virginia published this content on June 09, 2025, and is solely responsible for the information contained herein. Distributed via Public Technologies (PUBT), unedited and unaltered, on June 09, 2025 at 16:25 UTC. If you believe the information included in the content is inaccurate or outdated and requires editing or removal, please contact us at support@pubt.io