Tulsa felon sentenced to nearly 10 years in federal prison term for importing a synthetic drug

TULSA, Okla. — A felon from Tulsa was sentenced Thursday to nearly 10 years in federal prison for importing a kilogram (2.2 pounds) of a synthetic compound drug, and possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime.

This sentence was announced by U.S. Attorney Danny C. Williams Sr., Northern District of Oklahoma. This case was investigated by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement's (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), with assistance from the Tulsa County Sheriff's Office.

Methylone, a synthetic compound drug, is a controlled substance which is known as "mollies" on the street.

Gus Travis Poole Jr., 28, was sentenced to 117 months in prison Aug. 29. He has prior felony convictions for robbery with a dangerous weapon and burglary.

From January through March 2013, HSI executed several federal search warrants related to inbound packages of methylone from China. HSI seized the packages. Additionally, Federal Express turned over a suspect package to the Tulsa County Sheriff's Office that contained more than a kilogram of methylone. HSI special agents identified Poole as the recipient of the packages.

U.S. Attorney Danny C. Williams Sr. said, "Synthetic and designer drugs are a significant, widespread problem both domestically and internationally. Abuse of these substances, like all dangerous drugs and chemicals, creates problems for individuals, their families, their communities, and society in general." He added, "The trafficking of any type of drug will not be tolerated in the Northern District."

"Homeland Security Investigations routinely works with our local law enforcement partners to effectively identify, investigate and prosecute drug traffickers," said David M. Marwell, special agent in charge of HSI Dallas, which includes north Texas and the state of Oklahoma. "By working closely with the U.S. Attorney's Office and Tulsa County Sheriff's Office, we successfully removed a violent drug trafficker from our communities for nearly 10 years."

Assistant U.S. Attorney Gary Davis II, Northern District of Oklahoma, prosecuted this case.