District Judge Sentences Three Meth Traffickers Following Investigation by Local Authorities
January 29, 2021 Ashe County Sheriff B. Phil Howell announces the sentencing of three individuals for their involvement in a methamphetamine trafficking ring that operated in Ashe, Watauga and Caldwell counties and was investigated, in part, by detectives from the Ashe County Sheriff’s Office. On Thursday, January 28, 2021 U.S. District Judge Kenneth D. Bell handed down sentences ranging from 120 to 144 months to the following defendants: Christy Lee Latham, 43, of West Jefferson, N.C. Lathem was sentenced to 144 months in prison, followed by five years of supervised release. Latham pleaded guilty to methamphetamine trafficking conspiracy and distribute and possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine. Latham’s sentence was enhanced due to her violation of her conditions of supervised release for a prior federal methamphetamine trafficking conviction.