Matthew Moore, 40, of Bradley County, was sentenced Monday to 240 months by Judge Travis R. McDonough.
Moore agreed to plead guilty to an indictment charging him with one count of conspiring to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine, one count of possessing with intent to distribute five grams or more of methamphetamine; and one count of possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug-trafficking crime. He will be on supervised release for five years after he finishes his sentence.
Moore admitted to selling or arranging the sale of methamphetamine and fentanyl. In December 2019, law enforcement learned that a drug courier would be delivering multiple kilograms of ice meth to Moore at his Bradley County home. Police intercepted the drug courier and found more than two kilograms of meth. Police also searched Moore’s residence and found, among other things, more than $66,000 in cash, at least 400 fentanyl pills and other drug paraphernalia. Police also found crossbows and more than 145 firearms.
As part of Moore’s sentence, the court ordered that he pay a $50,000 money judgment and forfeit to the United States the firearms, which include multiple handguns, shotguns and rifles; a sawed-off shotgun with ornamental woodworking; a Chinese SKS carbine; and a 40 mm M203 grenade launcher.
The criminal indictment was the result of an investigation led by the United States Drug Enforcement Administration, in coordination with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives; the Bradley County Sheriff’s Office; the 10th Judicial District Drug Task Force; and the Cleveland Police Department.
Assistant United States Attorneys Kyle Wilson and Joe DeGaetano represented the United States.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods, a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities and measuring the results.