Member of Bristol, Virginia Methamphetamine Drug Ring Sentenced
Conspiracy Had Ties to Atlanta, Houston, and Mexico
ABINGDON, Va. – A Bristol, Virginia woman, who conspired with others to traffic methamphetamine from multiple states into Southwest Virginia, was sentenced this week to 156 months in federal prison for her role in the conspiracy.
Natasha Wallace, 42, pleaded guilty in June 2022 to conspiracy to distribute and possession with the intent to distribute 50 grams or more of crystal methamphetamine. Court records show that Wallace admitted to personally trafficking more than 10 kilograms of methamphetamine from Houston, Texas, and that her illicit distribution activities continued even after her co-conspirators were arrested. When arrested in May 2021, Wallace was discovered in possession of over 120 grams of 99% pure methamphetamine.
In a related hearing last week, Jason Eric Leab, 44, of Bristol, Virginia, was sentenced to 60 months in prison for possessing with the intent to distribute and distributing 50 grams or more of substance containing methamphetamine throughout Southwest Virginia.
Wallace and Leab each admitted to conspiring with others, including Joshua Desorcy, Paul Crone, and Marissa Wise, to traffic methamphetamine sourced in Mexico from known Mexican cartel members and shipped through Atlanta, Georgia and Houston, Texas into Southwest Virginia. As the ringleader of this drug trafficking conspiracy, Desorcy directed the wiring of funds to various recipients in Mexico and has been sentenced to 40 years in prison.
United States Attorney Christopher R. Kavanaugh of the Western District of Virginia, Charlie J. Patterson, Special Agent in Charge of ATF’s Washington Field Division, and Special Agent in Charge Jarod Forget of the DEA’s Washington Division made the announcement.
The Drug Enforcement Administration as well as the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Daniel J. Murphy prosecuted the case.
