KANSAS CITY, Mo. – An Excelsior Estates, Mo., man has been convicted by a federal trial jury for his role in a conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine.
Mark A. Whitworth, 65, was found guilty on Thursday, June 9, of one count of conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine and one count of possessing methamphetamine with the intent to distribute.
On Aug. 18, 2019, the Missouri State Highway Patrol executed a search warrant at Whitworth’s residence. They found a safe concealed behind a flag in the master bedroom closet that contained 60 $100 bills, totaling $6,000. They also found a cardboard box in a shed that contained approximately 256 grams of methamphetamine. Also in the shed, officers found two shotguns, shotgun shells, and various items that indicated the methamphetamine was being prepared for distribution (including a digital scale and plastic baggies).
Co-defendant Russell Lee Walker, 56, who shared a residence with Whitworth, pleaded guilty on Nov. 4, 2020, to his role in the drug-trafficking conspiracy.
Under federal statutes, Whitworth is subject to a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years in federal prison without parole, up to a sentence of life in federal prison without parole. The maximum statutory sentence is prescribed by Congress and is provided here for informational purposes, as the sentencing of the defendant will be determined by the court based on the advisory sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors. A sentencing hearing will be scheduled after the completion of a presentence investigation by the United States Probation Office.
Following the presentation of evidence, the jury in the U.S. District Court in Kansas City, Mo., deliberated for approximately five hours before returning guilty verdicts on both counts to U.S. District Judge Stephen R. Bough, ending a three-day trial that began Tuesday, June 7.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Patrick D. Daly and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Bradley Cooper. It was investigated by the FBI and the Missouri State Highway Patrol.