Kentucky Man Sentenced to Six Years in Federal Prison for Conspiracy to Traffic Methamphetamine

Kentucky Man Sentenced to Six Years in Federal Prison for Conspiracy to Traffic Methamphetamine

CONCORD - A Kentucky man was sentenced today in federal court for his role in a methamphetamine trafficking conspiracy, U.S. Attorney Erin Creegan announces.

Riley Thibodeau, 27, was sentenced by U.S. District Chief Judge Samantha D. Elliott to 72 months in federal prison and three years of supervised release. Thibodeau previously pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine. His co-defendant Ronny Ramos was sentenced to 120 months' imprisonment, on December 9, 2024.

"This defendant was the demand driving this conspiracy, pound after pound of methamphetamine ordered into New Hampshire, paid for, and delivered," said U.S. Attorney Erin Creegan. "This sentence reflects the serious harm that kind of trafficking inflicts on our communities, and this office will continue pursuing the links in these deadly supply chains."

"Methamphetamine continues to destroy lives and threaten the safety of our communities. This sentence holds a dangerous drug trafficker accountable for choosing profit over people and for helping fuel the flow of illicit drugs into our neighborhoods in New Hampshire," said Special Agent in Charge Jarod Forget, New England Field Division. "DEA and our law enforcement partners remain unwavering in our commitment to identifying, investigating, and dismantling the criminal networks responsible for distributing these harmful substances. Today's sentence serves as a reminder that those who engage in drug trafficking will face serious consequences."

According to court documents and statements made in court, Thibodeau conspired to distribute a total of approximately 50 pounds of methamphetamine from Massachusetts to New Hampshire on several occasions. From March through October 2023, Ramos received five separate orders of methamphetamine from Thibodeau, via an intermediary. The payments from Thibodeau for the methamphetamine were made via the same intermediary. The amounts per order ranged from 10-12 pounds at a price of approximately $20,000 for each order. The methamphetamine was delivered to Thibodeau in New Hampshire for redistribution. On October 31, 2023, law enforcement agents arrested Ramos in Methuen, Massachusetts, and seized 10 pounds of methamphetamine destined for Thibodeau in New Hampshire.

The Drug Enforcement Administration led the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Cesar A. Vega is prosecuting the case.

This effort is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.