- Three individuals from West Tennessee were charged by a federal
grand jury in a twelve count indictment on February 9, 2009 for violating various federal drug
statutes announced Lawrence J. Laurenzi, United States Attorney for the Western District of
Tennessee. The indictments were unsealed after all of the defendants were arrested and
taken into federal custody.
Jimmy Cardwell, 28 of Middleton, Tennessee, Brian Braswell, 26 of Jackson,
Tennessee, and David Alton Reed, 35 of Middleton, Tennessee, were charged with
conspiracy to unlawfully and intentionally possess and distribute over 500 grams of
methamphetamine and with distributing methamphetamine, in violation of Title 21, USC,
Sections 841 and 846. Violations of these statutes carry penalties of not more than 30 years
and 10 years to life, respectively. Cardwell is additionally charged with possessing the
equipment, chemicals and materials needed to manufacture Methamphetamine, in violation
of Title 21, USC, Section 843. A violation of this statute carries a penalty of not more than
10 years. Cardwell is also charged with possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug
trafficking crime, in violation of Title 18, USC, Section 924. A violation of this statute carries a
penalty of not less than 5 years consecutive to any sentence received for violations of Title
21, USC Sections 841 and 846.
According to the indictment, Cardwell, Braswell, and Reed would obtain the
necessary ingredients and equipment to manufacture methamphetamine and help each
other in manufacturing methamphetamine. The indictment further notes that the defendants
developed a market and supplied users with the illegally manufactured methamphetamine
and collected the proceeds of the illegal drug sales for their personal benefit.
This indictment resulted from a three month investigation conducted by the Drug
Enforcement Administration, Jackson Madison County Metro Narcotics Unit, Bolivar Police
Department, Tennessee Bureau of Investigation, Chester Counter Sheriff’s Office,
Hardeman County Sheriff’s Department, Whiteville Police Department and the 25th Judicial
Drug Task Force. Assistant United States Attorney Jerry Kitchen is handling the case for the
government.
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