KC Reporter

A Carthage, Missouri man has been sentenced to 20 years in federal prison for methamphetamine trafficking. Robert Marion Nevels, aged 36, received the sentence from U.S. District Judge M. Douglas Harpool on October 3rd, without the possibility of parole.

Nevels pleaded guilty on March 12, 2024, to possessing methamphetamine with intent to distribute. The charges stemmed from an incident on May 16, 2023, when he was stopped by Carthage police officers while driving a tan 1996 Mercury Grand Marquis for failing to signal. A search of his vehicle revealed a backpack containing a loaded Echasa 7.65-caliber handgun and plastic baggies filled with methamphetamine.

At the time of his arrest, Nevels was already on probation and parole for assault and narcotics offenses. Authorities discovered four receipts totaling $6,523 indicating that Nevels had been sending money to Mexico and California. They also found numerous empty baggies with methamphetamine residue.

Court documents reveal that law enforcement seized a total of 598.8 grams of pure methamphetamine during their investigation into Nevels's activities. He was held accountable for distributing between at least 1.5 kilograms and less than 4.5 kilograms of pure methamphetamine.

Further investigation showed that Nevels had been involved in large-scale methamphetamine distribution in Jasper and Newton Counties since February 2023. Text messages obtained by authorities indicated that he could purchase one kilogram (2.2 pounds) of methamphetamine for $4,000 and typically sold it in quantities ranging from one-eighth ounce to one pound at prices between $300 to $350 per ounce and $2,300 to $2,500 per pound.

The case was prosecuted by Supervisory Assistant U.S. Attorney Randall D. Eggert and investigated by several agencies including the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), the Carthage Police Department, the Oklahoma Highway Patrol, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF).