Press release
MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA - The United States Attorney's Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, announced that Joe David White, age 57, of Poteau, Oklahoma, and Laci Marie Fox, age, 27, of Poteau, Oklahoma were indicted for Drug Conspiracy, in violation of Title 21, United States Code, Sections 846, 841(a)(1) and 841(b)(1)(B), punishable bynot less than 5 nor more than 40 years imprisonment, a fine up to $5,000,000.00 or both; and for Distribution of Methamphetamine (White 4 Counts) (Fox 3 Counts), in violation of Title 21, United States Code, Sections 841(a)(1) and 841(b)(1)(C) and Title 18, United States Code, Section 2, punishable by not more than 20 years imprisonment, fine up to $1,000,000 or both.
The Indictment alleged that beginning on or about a date uncertain in 2015 and continuing until on or about January 9, 2017, within the Eastern District of Oklahoma and elsewhere, the defendants, Joe David White and Laci Marie Fox a/k/a Laci Marie Noah, did knowingly and intentionally combine, conspire, confederate and agree together, and with others known and unknown to the Grand Jury, to commit offenses against the United States in violation of Title 21, United StatesCode, Section 841, as follows:
Possession with intent to distribute and distribution of 50 grams or more of a mixture or substance containing a detectable amount of methamphetamine, a Schedule II controlled substance.
The Indictment further alleges on various dates from on or about August 29, 2016, and continuing until on or about January 9, 2017,within the Eastern District of Oklahoma, the defendants, Joe David White and Laci Marie Fox, a/k/a Laci Marie Noah, did knowingly and\intentionally distribute a mixture or substance containing a detectable amount of methamphetamine, a Schedule II controlledsubstance.
The charges arose from an investigation by the Poteau Police Department, the District 16 Narcotics Task Force, and the Oklahoma Bureau of Narcotics.
John Scully, Director of the Oklahoma Bureau of Narcotics said in a prepared statement, "The Oklahoma Bureau of Narcotics is a proudp artner in this multi-agency investigation to dismantle a major meth distribution operation in eastern Oklahoma.
For more than two decades, meth has carved a path of destruction through families and communities across our state. We will continue to work side-by-side with our federal, state and local law enforcement agencies to aggressively target and remove drug networks, regardless of their status in the community, that threaten Oklahoman's safety and security."
Joe David White is currently in the custody of the United States Marshals Service for the Eastern District of California. White was to be arraigned January 19, 2018, before a U.S. Magistrate Judge in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of California.
The Honorable Kimberly E. West, U.S. Magistrate Judge in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, in Muskogee, will preside over the arraignment of Laci Marie Fox on January 22, 2018.
Indictments are only accusations and are not evidence of guilt.
Each defendant is entitled to a fair trial, during which it will be the government's burden to prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.
Assistant United States Attorney Christopher Wilson represents theUnited States.