Department of Justice

U.S. Attorney’s Office

Western District of Tennessee

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Tuesday, October 10, 2017

Decatur CountyMan Sentenced to 17 Years Imprisonment

Jackson, TN – A local man has been sentenced to 17 years’ imprisonment for conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking offense. D. Michael Dunavant, United States Attorney for the Western District of Tennessee, announced the sentence today.

According to information presented in court, the FBI and other federal, state and local agencies conducted a year-long investigation into Franklin Shane Rushing, 46 of Decaturville, TN, and other co-conspirators who were distributing actual methamphetamine (methamphetamine with 80% or higher purity) in the Western District of Tennessee. The FBI received information that Rushing was a major distributor of ICE in Decatur County, Tennessee.

On December 9, 2015, a source purchased one ounce of meth from Rushing for $1,100. The DEA lab confirmed the drug amount to be 29.8 grams of 98.7% pure meth. Later that same day, Rushing sold another 28.2 grams of 99.6% pure meth. In February 2016, Rushing purchased one pound of ICE for $13,000 from his supplier. Law enforcement recovered another 4.5 ounces of ICE sold by Rushing. In March 2016, a traffic stop was conducted before Rushing could meet with his supplier to make arrangements for more narcotics. Seized from Rushing at that time was $9,086, as well as a loaded .40 caliber pistol in a holster. Law enforcement conducted a search warrant on Rushing’s home the same day as the traffic stop. 48 additional firearms were confiscated, along with digital scales, baggies, a small amount of meth and a drug notebook. During a 4-month period, 2.5 kilos of ICE was attributed to Rushing through this investigation.

On October 5, 2017, U.S. District Judge J. Daniel Breen sentenced Rushing to 144 months’ imprisonment for the drug conspiracy. He will serve 60 months consecutively on the firearms offense and 5 years supervised release following his incarceration.

The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation; Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; Drug Enforcement Administration; Tennessee Bureau of Investigation; 24th Judicial Drug Task Force; Decatur County Sheriff’s Department; Henderson County Sheriff’s Department; Lexington Police Department and as part of the FBI Safe Streets Task Force; Dyersburg Police Department and Jackson Police Department.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Beth C. Boswell prosecuted this case on the government’s behalf.