A man from Missouri on Tuesday admitted selling roughly a pound of methamphetamine per week and now could face up to 20 years in prison.
Justin Vernon Neilsen, 38, of St. Louis County, pleaded guilty in front of U.S. District Judge Henry E. Autrey to one felony count of distribution of methamphetamine. He admitted that during an investigation of him by the Drug Enforcement Administration, investigators bought 166 grams of methamphetamine from him while he was armed with a handgun.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives joined the investigation, and they learned that Neilsen had three storage units in St. Louis. During a court-authorized search of those units, investigators found three rifles, a Kevlar vest, high-capacity magazines, military-style ammunition cans, and hundreds of rounds of ammunition. Neilsen was arrested at his home with the help of an ATF K-9. They found 447 grams of methamphetamine and a shotgun. Neilsen told investigators that he sold about one pound of methamphetamine per week, his plea agreement says.
Neilsen is set to be sentenced on February 22 and could face up to 20 years in prison.
The case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, and the St. Charles County Regional Drug Task Force.
