A Gibson County man has been sentenced to 30 years in federal prison for his alleged part in masterminding a drug distribution ring.
Stephen Ray Cook, 40, of Trenton was sentenced Friday in Memphis to 360 months in federal prison for his role in masterminding a drug distribution ring that operated across the eastern United States, according to U.S. Attorney Edward L. Stanton III.
Cook was indicted by a federal grand jury on May 18, 2011, and charged with one count of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute at least 1,000 kilograms of marijuana and one count of possession with intent to distribute at least 500 grams of methamphetamine. He pleaded guilty to the marijuana conspiracy charge on Jan. 12, 2012. The government agreed to dismiss the methamphetamine count.
It was revealed during his plea hearing and at sentencing that Cook recruited family members and acquaintances to assist him in trafficking marijuana from locations in Mexico to Memphis, Chicago, Atlanta and other cities, according to the U.S. Attorney’s office.
In addition to the prison sentence, U.S. District Judge Samuel H. Mays Jr. ordered Cook to serve five years of supervised release. There is no parole in the federal prison system.
This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Bolivar Police Department and the West Tennessee Drug Task Force. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jerry Kitchen represented the government.

Published in The Messenger 2.20.13