Meridian Man Pleads Guilty to Possession with Intent to Distribute 43 Grams of Methamphetamine

Jackson, Miss. – A Meridian man pleaded guilty today to possession with intent to distribute approximately 43 grams of a substance containing a detectable amount of methamphetamine.

According to court documents, Willie Bernard Lewis, 37, sold methamphetamine to a confidential informant on August 20, 2021, and August 31, 2021. On September 1, 2021, law enforcement executed a search warrant on his residence and located approximately 43 grams of methamphetamine and 10.9 grams of fentanyl. Lewis has prior convictions for sale of cocaine and possession with intent to distribute cocaine. 

According to the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration, fentanyl is approximately 100 times more potent than morphine and 50 times more potent than heroin.  The DEA reports that two milligrams of fentanyl can be lethal, and one kilogram of fentanyl has the potential to kill 500,000 people.  More facts on fentanyl can be found at https://www.dea.gov/resources/facts-about-fentanyl and https://www.dea.gov/resources/facts-about-fentanyl.

Lewis is scheduled to be sentenced on April 8, 2024, and faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison. A federal district judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

U.S. Attorney Todd W. Gee of the Southern District of Mississippi and Special Agent in Charge Joshua Jackson of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives made the announcement.

The Lauderdale County Sheriff’s Department and the ATF investigated the case.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Adam T. Stuart is prosecuting the case.