FLORIDA — A Perry woman has been sentenced to 25 years in federal prison for her role in a major drug trafficking conspiracy involving the distribution of methamphetamine across the region, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Florida (USAO).
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Miranda Marie Stafford, 57, pleaded guilty to charges of conspiracy and methamphetamine distribution involving over 500 grams of the drug.
Despite being under supervised release from a 2019 meth trafficking conviction, Ms Stafford reportedly continued trafficking, with undercover officers purchasing multi-ounce quantities from her.
According to the USAO, in April 2023, law enforcement surveillance and a traffic stop resulted in the seizure of over 700 grams of methamphetamine found in Stafford’s possession after a suspected resupply trip to Jacksonville.
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“This sentence, by a habitual drug trafficker, acknowledges the defendant’s continued criminal conduct and sends a straightforward message that there are real and severe consequences for federal drug offenses,” said U.S. Attorney Jason R. Coody, noting the damaging impact of methamphetamine distribution on communities across the district.
The conviction was the result of a large-scale, regional investigation by the Drug Enforcement Administration, Suwannee County Sheriff’s Office, Taylor County Sheriff’s Office, Madison County Sheriff’s Office, and the Perry Police Department, as well as members of the NorthStar Drug Task Force, including the Wakulla, Bay, Gulf, and Leon County Sheriff’s Offices.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Eric K. Mountin prosecuted the case.
Following her prison term, Stafford will serve 10 years of supervised release.
