Homeland Security Task Force Operation Investigation Leads to Meth Arrest and Prosecution

GREENVILLE, MS - Charterious Moore, 33, of West Point, Mississippi, was sentenced to 120 months in federal prison and five years supervised release after previously pleading to distribution of over a pound of methamphetamine. Chief U.S. District Judge Debra M. Brown sentenced Moore.

According to court documents, Moore had previously pleaded guilty to knowingly and intentionally distributing an amount in excess of fifty grams of methamphetamine. This investigation and prosecution was a part of the Homeland Security Task Force initiative that brings together local and federal partners to eliminate criminal gangs in our streets. The investigation of this case was carried out by Lowndes County Sheriff's Office, Monroe County's Sheriff's Office, Mississippi Bureau of Narcotics and the United States Marshals.

U.S. Attorney Scott Leary stated, "What kind of Mississippi are we going to pass on to our children? As citizens of this great nation, such concerns should always be remembered. On this note, please understand that methamphetamine trafficking is completely detrimental to our children and our communities. It results in lost lives. Our state and federal law enforcement partners are charged with addressing this scourge, at times placing themselves in harm's way. In this case, the Mississippi Bureau of Narcotics (MBN), the Lowndes County and Monroe County Sheriff's Offices, the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) and the U.S. Marshals did a stellar job in taking meth off our streets. Our citizens expect this type of partnership. Working together, we can help ensure that our children inherit a Mississippi where hard work and faithfulness pay off."

"Criminal gangs rely on the distribution of illicit drugs like methamphetamine to fund their operations and terrorize our communities," said Drug Enforcement Administration Special Agent in Charge John P. Scott, New Orleans Field Division. "Thanks to the dedicated efforts of the Homeland Security Task Force, a major source of this poison has been taken off the streets. This sentence underscores our unwavering commitment to working alongside our local law enforcement partners to dismantle these dangerous organizations and restore peace to Mississippi communities."

This prosecution is part of the Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) initiative established by Executive Order 14159, Protecting the American People Against Invasion. The HSTF is a whole-of-government partnership dedicated to eliminating criminal cartels, foreign gangs, transnational criminal organizations, and human smuggling and trafficking rings operating in the United States and abroad. Through historic interagency collaboration, the HSTF directs the full might of United States law enforcement towards identifying, investigating, and prosecuting the full spectrum of crimes committed by these organizations, which have long fueled violence and instability within our borders. In performing this work, the HSTF places special emphasis on investigating and prosecuting those engaged in child trafficking or other crimes involving children. The HSTF further utilizes all available tools to prosecute and remove the most violent criminal aliens from the United States. HSTF Jackson comprises agents and officers from U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Homeland Security Investigations, Federal Bureau of Investigation, Drug Enforcement Administration, U.S. Customs and Border Protection - Office of Field Operations, U.S. Customs and Border Protection - U.S. Border Patrol, U.S. Customs and Border Protection - Air and Marine Operations, U.S. Marshals Service, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Internal Revenue Service - Criminal Investigation, U.S. Coast Guard Investigative Service, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Enforcement and Removal Operations (ICE ERO) with the prosecution being led by the United States Attorney's Office for the Northern District of Mississippi.

Assistant U.S. Attorney and Senior Litigation Counsel Clyde McGee prosecuted this case.