United States Attorney Richard B. Roper
Northern District of Texas

ABILENE METHAMPHETAMINE DISTRIBUTORS SENTENCED

LUBBOCK, Texas — Today in federal court in Lubbock, convicted methamphetamine distributors, Randal Reagan Whitaker, a/k/a “Bob the Builder,” and Michael Lynn Miller, Jr., a/k/a “Mumbling Mike,” were sentenced by U.S. District Judge Sam R. Cummings, announced U.S. Attorney Richard B. Roper of the Northern District of Texas. Whitaker was sentenced to 188 months (nearly 16 years) in federal prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release and Miller was sentenced to 85 months (7 years and one month) in federal prison, to be followed by six years of supervised release. Each pled guilty in March to one count of possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine.

On November 14, 2007, an arrest warrant was issued for Randal Reagan Whitaker for federal narcotics and firearms charges. On December 7, 2007, a task force officer (TFO) with the FBI received information where in Abilene, Texas, Whitaker could be located. The FBI TFO and other law enforcement officers proceeded to the apartment on North Jefferson Street and knocked, but no one answered. The officers peered into the windows and saw a man, asked him to open the door, and he did. They informed him they were searching for Randal Reagan Whitaker and the man gave them permission to search the apartment for Whitaker.

An Abilene Police Department officer found Whitaker hiding beside a chest of drawers in a bedroom of the apartment, and arrested him. While searching Whitaker, incident to his arrest, the officer found in Whitaker’s pants pocket: a clear plastic bag containing 11 smaller clear plastic bags, each of containing a white, glass-like substance that field tested positive for the presence of methamphetamine; a set of digital scales; and a cell phone. Subsequent testing by the Texas Department of Public Safety Lab revealed that Whitaker had a total of 20.5 net grams of methamphetamine in his pants pocket. The amount of methamphetamine present, the manner in which it was packaged, and the presence of digital scales indicated that it was intended for distribution, as opposed to personal use.

Michael Lynn Miller, Jr. was arrested on January 23, 2007, after a trooper with the Texas Department of Public Safety, on routine patrol on Interstate 20 in Callahan County, Texas, observed a red pickup truck speeding. Miller was driving the pickup and during the traffic stop, he gave thetrooper consent to search his vehicle. The trooper had Miller get out of the vehicle and while frisking Miller, discovered a set of scales in his coat pocket. During a search of the vehicle, the trooper discovered a black case stuffed between the front passenger seat and the center console and inside the case was a large bag of a substance that appeared to be methamphetamine as well as several empty plastic bags. Subsequent examination by the Texas Department of Public Safety Crime Lab confirmed that Miller possessed 7.52 net grams of methamphetamine. He admitted that he knowingly possessed it with the intent to distribute.

U.S. Attorney Roper praised the investigative efforts of the FBI, the Abilene Police Department, the Taylor County Sheriff’s Office, and the Texas Department of Public Safety. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jeffrey R. Haag of the Lubbock, Texas, U.S. Attorney’s Office prosecuted the case.

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