Omaha man sentenced to more than 15 years in federal prison for methamphetamine conspiracy

BOSTON — A Virginia man pleaded guilty today to charges of conspiracy to distribute narcotics and laundering drug proceeds in connection with a scheme involving accomplices in Massachusetts and Virginia. Kenneth J. Owen, 24, of Charlotte Court House, Va., entered the plea in U.S. District Court in Boston. Chief Judge F. Dennis Saylor IV scheduled sentencing for Dec. 10, 2024.

Owen pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute MDMA and buprenorphine, and two counts of conspiracy to commit money laundering. The charges stem from a plan to smuggle drugs into Buckingham Correctional Center in Dillwyn, Virginia, where Owen worked as a correctional officer.

According to court documents, between December 2019 and January 2020, Owen conspired with Lowell, Mass. resident Sathtra Em and Buckingham Correctional Center inmate Michael Mao to smuggle MDMA and buprenorphine into the prison. Em shipped the drugs to Owen’s residence and paid him a $1,600 bribe to deliver the contraband to Mao. Once the drugs arrived at the prison, Mao sold them to other inmates, while Em collected the proceeds through Cash App, the same platform used to pay Owen for his role in the scheme.

Owen used a Cash App account under the name “Carlos” to receive bribes from Em, quickly depositing the money into his bank account after each transaction. Both Em and Mao have already pleaded guilty to their roles in the conspiracy. Em was sentenced to 21 months in prison on August 14, 2024, while Mao is scheduled to be sentenced on November 18, 2024.

The charges against Owen carry significant penalties. The conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute MDMA and buprenorphine charges carry a potential penalty of up to 20 years in prison, at least three years of supervised release, and a fine of up to $1 million. The charge of conspiracy to commit money laundering carries a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison, three years of supervised release, and a fine of $500,000 or twice the amount laundered. Both charges include the forfeiture of all assets related to the offenses. Sentencing will be determined in accordance with federal guidelines and statutes.