Michael Gannon, Assistant Special Agent in Charge of U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration-Indianapolis, and U.S. Attorney Zachary A. Myers for the Southern District of Indiana announced that Max W. Woodard II, 51, of Lebanon, Indiana, was sentenced to 10 years in federal prison after pleading guilty to possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine.
According to court documents, on April 19, 2022, a law enforcement officer stopped Woodard’s vehicle for a traffic violation near U.S. 40 and North Miami Gardens Street in Vigo County, Indiana. The officer identified Woodard as the driver and sole occupant of the vehicle. Woodard appeared nervous when the officer approached his vehicle, and he did not comply with the officer’s commands. The officer asked Woodard to exit the vehicle, but Woodard refused. The officer attempted to open Woodard’s door, but it was locked. The officer continued to ask Woodard to exit the vehicle and he continued to refuse.
Another officer with a police K9 arrived on the scene and the K9 alerted to the presence of controlled substances inside the vehicle. Officers searched the vehicle and found a black bag containing 477 grams of methamphetamine. Woodward was traveling to Terre Haute, Indiana to sell the methamphetamine when he was stopped by police. Woodard was taken into custody and transported to jail.
The next day, on April 20, 2022, investigators went to Woodard’s residence in Lebanon, after Woodard consented to a search of his residence. The officers found two loaded firearms on Woodard’s couch: a black 9mm handgun and a .22 caliber handgun. Two additional firearms were surrendered to law enforcement by a third party who had removed the firearms from Woodard’s residence shortly before the officers’ arrival. All four firearms belonged to Woodard.
This case was investigated by DEA. The Vigo County Sheriff’s Office, Boone County Sheriff’s Office, and Terre Haute Police Department provided valuable assistance. The sentence was imposed by U.S. District Judge Jane Magnus-Stinson. As part of the sentence, Judge Stinson ordered that Woodard be supervised by the U.S. Probation Office for five years following his release from federal prison.
