Dallas man sentenced to more than 19 years in federal prison for his role in cocaine conspiracy

DALLAS — A Dallas man who admitted to his role in a three-year cocaine conspiracy was sentenced Thursday to more than 19 years in federal prison, announced U.S. Attorney John Parker of the Northern District of Texas.

The FBI, Dallas Police Department and Internal Revenue Service’s (IRS) Criminal Investigation led this investigation with assistance from the following agencies: U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO); Texas Department of Public Safety; DFW Department of Public Safety; U.S. Department of State; Drug Enforcement Administration; Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; Transportation Security Administration; U.S. Secret Service; and the Texas police departments of Fort Worth, McKinney, Mesquite and Plano.

Corey Nelson, 40, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Jane J. Boyle to 230 months in federal prison following his guilty plea in September 2016 to one count of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute a schedule II controlled substance.  Nelson has been in custody since mid-July 2015 following a law enforcement operation led by the FBI, the Dallas Police Department and IRS. During the operation, numerous defendants were arrested on drug distribution conspiracy and related charges outlined in a federal superseding indictment returned by a federal grand jury in Dallas in June 2015.

According to documents filed in the case, from Jan. 1, 2012 through June 23, 2015, Nelson engaged in a conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute five kilograms or more of a mixture or substance containing a detectable amount of cocaine. Nelson purchased multiple kilograms of cocaine and resold the cocaine he purchased to other individuals involved in the conspiracy.

At the July 13 sentencing hearing, Judge Boyle held Nelson responsible for 120 kilograms of cocaine.

At the time of Nelson’s arrest, a firearm and $12,963 in U.S. currency were seized.

Assistant U.S. Attorney George Leal, Northern District of Texas, prosecuted this case.