SPRINGFIELD, Missouri – A Lebanese Missouri man was found guilty in federal court today of being involved in a methamphetamine conspiracy in Newton and Greene counties.
Douglas S. Ward, 34, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge M. Douglas Harpool to 20 years in federal prison without parole.
On March 3, 2022, Ward pleaded guilty to participating in a conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine. Co-defendants William D. Johnson, 47, of unknown address, and Joshua T. Davenport, 41, of Miami, Oklahoma, also pleaded guilty and are awaiting sentencing.
Ward admitted to receiving methamphetamine and distributing it to others during a conspiracy that lasted from May 20 to September 28, 2019. Johnson obtained large amounts of methamphetamine from sources in California and distributed it to others, including Davenport.
Ward was arrested after crashing the car he was driving on June 18, 2019. The Sheriff of Jasper County, Missouri, said Ward’s car passed him on his way east on Route 96, Missouri near UU, in Lawrence County, Missouri. He forces another vehicle in the oncoming lane off the road. As officers tried to catch up with him, Ward turned right onto County Route 1085, but passed an intersection. Ward’s car veered off the road and rolled over.
Ward smashed through the driver’s side window and crawled out of the car. A man and a woman crawled out from the passenger side, but officers ordered all three to get out. However, Ward reached into his pocket, pulled out a large plastic bag containing 88.01 grams of methamphetamine, threw it on the ground and started running.
The officers caught up with Ward, but Ward resisted arrest. Ward was able to escape when the woman in the car approached behind the officer and grabbed him. Missouri Highway Patrol troopers who came to assist the officers eventually arrested Ward, who was hiding in the grass.
Ward told officers in June 2019 that he had been taking 1 pound of methamphetamine a day since being released from prison in December 2018, according to court documents. He takes two pounds of methamphetamine a week for $4,000 a pound.
Ward has a state felony criminal record for drug trafficking. Ward also has a domestic violence conviction for picking up his girlfriend, slamming him on the floor, picking him up again, and throwing him on the sofa when the victim’s two-year-old daughter walked into the room. yelled at the child. The victim told him not to yell at his daughter, at which point he grabbed the victim from behind, strangled her, and began punching her in the face. He has another assault conviction for an incident that occurred while attacking an inmate.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jessica R. Eatmon. It was investigated by the Missouri Highway Patrol, Newton County Missouri Sheriff’s Office, Joplin Missouri Police Department, Jasper County Missouri Sheriff’s Office, Springfield Missouri Police Department and Apache Police Department. Arizona County, Sheriff’s Department, Ozarks Drug Enforcement Team, Drug Enforcement Administration, and FBI.
Organized Crime and Drug Enforcement Task Force
This case is part of the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) operation. OCDETF uses a prosecution-led, intelligence-led, multi-agency approach to identify, disrupt, and dismantle the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States. Additional information about the OCDETF program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF.
