United States Drug Enforcement Administration

Oxford, MS – A Lowndes County man was sentenced on Thursday to over eight years in prison for selling methamphetamine. 

According to court documents, Jeremy Winston, of Columbus, Mississippi pled guilty in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District to Mississippi to distribution of methamphetamine. Winston was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Michael P. Mills on Thursday afternoon to 100 months in prison for the drug trafficking. He was further sentenced to five years supervised release following his release from prison. 

“The Lowndes County Sheriff’s Office is committed to working alongside law enforcement agencies at all levels to dismantle drug trafficking operations and disrupt the flow of illegal drugs within our communities,” stated Lowndes County Sherriff Eddie Hawkins. “This effort underscores the effectiveness of the OCDETF program. Our partners at the federal, state, and local levels have done an outstanding job.”

“This successful prosecution is a testament to the effectiveness of the OCDETF program,” said DEA Assistant Special Agent in Charge Anessa Daniels-McCaw. “By leveraging the combined resources and expertise of multiple agencies, we can dismantle complex drug trafficking organizations and bring those who profit from them to justice. This individual’s sentencing is a significant step in our ongoing fight against methamphetamine distribution.” 

“The Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) continue to prove their success. Thank you to all agencies involved for their tireless efforts in enhancing and ensuring public safety and security in Mississippi,” said Commissioner Sean Tindell. 

“This defendant was willing to spread poison to individuals and his community, destroying lives for a profit,” stated U.S. Attorney Clay Joyner.  “AUSA Clyde McGee and our federal, state and local partners did outstanding work in this case and continue to do outstanding work to protect our community from drug dealers like this defendant.”

The Drug Enforcement Administration, Mississippi Bureau of Narcotics and the Lowndes County Sheriff’s Department investigated the case in partnership with state and local law enforcement. 

Assistant U.S. Attorney Clyde McGee prosecuted the case.

This investigation and resulting case is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF.

This case is also a part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our 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 our 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.