Tyler Man Guilty of Federal Drug Crimes

TYLER, TX—U.S. Attorney John M. Bales announced today that a 23-year-old Tyler, Texas man has pleaded guilty to federal drug trafficking violations in the Eastern District of Texas.

JOSHUA LEE DEAR pleaded guilty on July 29, 2009, to possession with the intent to distribute methamphetamine before U.S. Magistrate Judge Judith K. Guthrie.

According to information presented in court, from July 2004 through October 2008, Dear was involved in a drug distribution ring responsible for distributing methamphetamine to other individuals in the Tyler and Longview areas. A 17-count indictment was returned by a federal grand jury on Feb. 4, 2009, charging 19 individuals, including Dear, with federal drug trafficking crimes.

Dear faces up to 40 years in federal prison at sentencing. A sentencing date has not been set.

This case is being investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the East Texas HIDTA Violent Crimes Task Force, the Gregg County CODE Unit, the Gregg County Sheriff's Office, the Longview Police Department, the Gregg County District Attorney's Office, and the Kilgore Police Department and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Richard L. Moore.

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