The U-S Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Iowa said Thursday, a southwest Iowa man plead guilty Wednesday, to drug and weapon charges. U-S Attorney Nicholas A. Klinefeldt said 33-year old Edward Eugene Gray, Jr., of Clarinda, pled guilty to conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. A sentencing hearing before District Court Judge John A. Jarvey will be scheduled at a later date.

According to the written plea agreement, from approximately January of 2004, until November of 2010, Edward Gray, Jr., was involved in the distribution of methamphetamine in the Southwest Iowa and Northwest Missouri areas with co-conspirators: 56-year old Orvis Lee Wagaman, of College Springs; 53-year old Edward Eugene Gray, Sr., of Coin; 23-year old Levi Edward Gray, of Clarinda, and others.  In addition Gray. Jr., was aware that a co-conspirator carried a firearm while distributing methamphetamine with Gray, Jr., and the possession of the firearm was in furtherance of the drug conspiracy.

Orvis Lee Wagaman, Edward Eugene Gray, Sr., and Levi Edward Gray have entered guilty pleas to the drug conspiracy and are pending sentencing. Conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine, has a mandatory minimum sentencing of ten years in prison up to life imprisonment, a fine of up to $10,000,000 or both a fine and imprisonment, and a period of supervised release following imprisonment of at least five years. Possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking offense carries a mandatory minimum penalty of five years in prison, or a maximum of  life imprisonment, a fine of up to $250,000, or both a fine and imprisonment. Inaddition, the offense requires a period of supervised release of three years. The sentence for possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking offense must be served consecutively to the sentence imposed for the drug conspiracy.

The case was investigated by nearly a dozen law enforcement agencies. The case was prosecuted by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Iowa.