Jefferson County Man Sentenced to Nearly Two Decades in Federal Prison for Methamphetamine Trafficking

BEAUMONT, Texas - A Port Arthur man has been sentenced to federal prison for drug trafficking crimes in the Eastern District of Texas, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei today.

Michael James Shaw, 40, pleaded guilty on June 30, 2021 to possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine and was sentenced to 235 months in federal prison today by U.S. District Judge Marcia Crone.

"Methamphetamine remains one of the greatest threats to the health and safety of East Texans," said Acting U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei. "The sentence in this case is directly proportional to the amount of methamphetamine Mr. Shaw intended to traffic, and thus proportional to the harm he was willing to inflict upon the Jefferson County community."

According to information presented in court, Shaw was arrested on Oct. 6, 2020 after Jefferson County Narcotics Task Force officers executed a search warrant at Shaw's residence and found 454 grams of pure methamphetamine. The drugs were hidden inside an upholstered chair in Shaw's living room. The officers also found four firearms locked in a safe inside the master bedroom.

Shaw was indicted by a federal grand jury on April 7, 2021 and charged with the drug trafficking violations.

This case was investigated by the Jefferson County Sheriff's Office and the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney John B. Ross.

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