A Kentucky man, Larry Beville, aged 62, has been sentenced to 15 years in prison for his involvement in a methamphetamine distribution conspiracy. Following his prison term, he will be subject to five years of supervised release.
During the sentencing hearing held by U.S. District Judge Colleen Lawless, evidence was presented showing that Beville delivered a kilogram of methamphetamine to an undercover officer in Illinois and was later apprehended with another kilogram in Indiana. In total, he was accountable for trafficking over 600 grams of methamphetamine.
Beville and five co-defendants were indicted in April 2023 for conspiring to distribute methamphetamine. Several co-defendants are believed to be members of the Simon City Royals street gang. One co-defendant has pleaded guilty while others await trial. It is important to note that charges are accusations until proven guilty in court.
Beville entered a guilty plea in August 2024 and has been detained by the United States Marshals Service since his arrest in April 2023.
The statutory penalties for distributing 50 grams or more of actual methamphetamine include a minimum of ten years up to life imprisonment, fines up to $10 million, life-term supervised release, and a $100 mandatory special assessment.
The case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration and Illinois State Police with Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew Z. Weir representing the government.
This case forms part of an investigation into the Simon City Royals street gang under the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) initiative. OCDETF aims to dismantle high-level drug traffickers and criminal organizations through collaboration among federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies.