NORFOLK, Va. — A Chesapeake man was sentenced to 15 years in prison Wednesday after he traveled to Arizona to purchase methamphetamine for resale.
In a press release, the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) said an Arizona State Trooper pulled over Jeremy Wayne Johnson, 45, and his passenger on Interstate 17 in Yavapai County on May 20, 2020.
It was because Johnson was speeding and texting while driving.
During the traffic stop, Johnson provided a false name and claimed he had lost his driver’s license. He was also carrying a loaded Ruger pistol, as well as methamphetamine inside the vehicle.
According to the DOJ, Johnson admitted during a Mirandized interview that he and the passenger drove from Virginia Beach to Phoenix to purchase methamphetamine.
Johnson had bought two pounds of methamphetamine from a drug dealer at a Phoenix hotel the day before they planned to return to Virginia.
The DOJ said Johnson and his passenger were transporting the drugs back to Virginia Beach for resale when they were stopped.
The sentencing was announced by several officials, including Raj Parekh, the acting U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, and Virginia Beach Police Chief Paul Neudigate.
Author's note: The video above is on file from Nov. 2020.
