VALDOSTA — A Colquitt County man was sentenced to 14 years for distributing large amounts of methamphetamine in Thomas and Cook counties, according to the U.S. Justice Department.

Samuel Matthew “Cruz” Howard, 27, of Doerun was sentenced to federal prison, followed by five years of supervised release, a justice department statement said.

The defendant was taken into custody on two separate occasions for attempting to distribute meth, the statement said.

The first incident occurred Oct. 11, 2016, when a Thomas County-Thomasville Narcotics/Vice Division agent received information from a confidential source that a man would be delivering a large quantity of methamphetamine to someone at a residence on North Church Street in Meigs within the hour. 

Agents saw the defendant drive up to the residence in a blue Buick, and they approached Howard. Agents found three plastic sandwich bags containing 85.2 grams of 99% pure “ice” methamphetamine inside the center console armrest, a gray zip pouch containing numerous empty plastic sandwich bags, a digital scale and $1,819 under the armrest, the statement said. 

A search warrant of Howard’s cell phone revealed numerous text messages to and from Howard discussing drug transactions and prices right up to the hour of his arrest, according to the justice department.

The second incident occurred April 26, 2018, when Howard was arrested in possession of approximately 222.3 grams of methamphetamine. This time, a confidential source texted Howard to arrange the purchase of meth from Howard at a restaurant in Adel. Howard was taken into custody at the restaurant in possession of a box containing 222.3 grams of methamphetamine, found inside his blue Buick, the statement said.

The defendant has a criminal history and was previously convicted of theft by taking in Colquitt County Superior Court, the justice department said.

Terry Richards is senior reporter at The Valdosta Daily Times.