A man from Greene County who allegedly bought and distributed methamphetamine a quarter pound at a time will spend his next 20 years in federal prison.
James Dixon, 49, was sentenced to 20 years without parole at a federal court hearing Oct. 17 in Springfield. Dixon pleaded guilty to possession of methamphetamine with the intent to distribute and possession of firearms in furtherance of a drug-trafficking crime.
Dixon was arrested in 2021 as the result of an investigation by the Springfield Police Department and by the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. At the time of his arrest, investigators found Dixon had five firearms and some high-capacity ammunition magazines.
On Jan. 21, 2021, officers used a warrant to search Dixon’s home. In a detached garage, they found 106.95 grams (3.77 ounces) of a substance determined to be methamphetamine, an illegal drug. Police also found a semi-automatic rifle, a 12-gauge shotgun with a drum magazine, two additional 12-gauge shotguns and a 20-gauge shotgun. The rifle is manufactured by Diamondback and has a 16-inch barrel.
Dixon allegedly told investigators he bought methamphetamine four ounces at a time from a source, and then sold it. Dixon had about $1,000 cash in his wallet at the time he was arrested — money believed to be linked to drug sales.
According to state court documents, Dixon has five prior felony convictions for drug trafficking and three prior felony convictions for drug possession. These convictions occurred in Greene County in 2013. Judge Thomas Mountjoy suspended the execution of a 15-year prison sentence and sentenced Dixon to five years of supervised probation.
Court records show Dixon was discharged from probation on April 1, 2016.
