Springdale Man Sentenced to 15 Years in Prison for Drug Trafficking

            Fayetteville, Arkansas - Kenneth Elser, United States Attorney for the Western District of Arkansas, announced that Thanousorn Kongmanivong, age 45, of Springdale, was sentenced today to 180 months in federal prison followed by five years of supervised release on one count of Possession with Intent to Distribute More than 50 Grams of Methamphetamine. The Honorable Timothy L. Brooks presided over the sentencing hearing in the United States District Court in Fayetteville.

            According to court records, in the spring and summer of 2016, Kongmanivong was being investigated by the 4^th Judicial Drug Task Force for trafficking methamphetamines in the Northwest Arkansas area. Detectives received information in July of 2016 that Kongmanivong had a large quantity of methamphetamine in a locked tool box in his garage. After obtaining a federal search warrant, a search was made on his residence, where officers located approximately 268 grams of methamphetamines in 12 separate packages inside the toolbox. The substance was sent to the Arkansas State Crime Lab where it was confirmed to contain at least 150 grams of actual methamphetamines. Kongmanivong was indicted by a federal grand jury in August, 2016 and pleaded guilty in October, 2016.

            This case was investigated by the 4^th Judicial Drug Task Force and the Fayetteville Police Department. Assistant United States Attorney Denis Dean prosecuted the case for the United States.

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Related court documents may be found on the Public Access to Electronic Records website @ www.pacer.gov