Methamphetamine Trafficker On Federal Supervised Release Is Sentenced To Prison

CHARLOTTE, N.C. - Russell Javon Linney, 34, of Statesville, N.C. was sentenced today to 135 months in prison followed by five years of supervised release for trafficking methamphetamine, announced Dena J. King, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of North Carolina.

Bennie Mims, Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), Charlotte Field Division, joins U.S. Attorney King in making today's announcement.

According to court documents and court proceedings, in January 2023, the ATF initiated an investigation into Linney's drug trafficking activities. During the investigation, court documents show that undercover ATF agents purchased methamphetamine from Linney multiple times. During one of the drug buys, Linney sold nearly a pound of methamphetamine to an undercover ATF agent in South Carolina. At the time, Linney was on federal supervised release for a firearms conviction in the Western District of North Carolina.

On August 8, 2024, Linney pleaded guilty to distribution of methamphetamine. He is in federal custody and will be transferred to the custody of the Federal Bureau of Prisons upon designation of a federal facility.

In making today's announcement, U.S. Attorney King credited the ATF for the investigation of the case.

Special Assistant U.S. Attorney (SAUSA) William Wiseman prosecuted the cases. Mr. Wiseman is a state prosecutor with the office of the 26^th Prosecutorial District and was assigned by District Attorney Spencer Merriweather to serve as a SAUSA with the U.S. Attorney's Office in Charlotte. Mr. Wiseman is sworn in both state and federal courts. The SAUSA position is a reflection of the partnership between the office of the 26^th Prosecutorial District and the United