(Metro Creative Graphics)

A Wills Point man was sentenced to nearly 12 years in prison for possessing and selling hundreds of grams of methamphetamine.

Rickey James Howard, 41, was sentenced to 142 months in federal prison on Tuesday after he pleaded guilty to conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine on Jan 9. The judge also ordered an $8,000 money judgment against Howard, according to the US Department of Justice.

According to information presented in court, a co-conspirator of Howard sold about 10.4 grams of methamphetamine during a controlled purchase.

The meth was from Howard’s residence that he shared with his co-conspirator and Howard knew the meth was in the residence.

On Aug. 28, 2018, Howard had about 135 grams of a mixture containing meth in his Van Zandt County residence. He had this meth to distribute to other people.

Howard admitted that between January 2018 and September 2019, he engaged in a conspiracy with others to obtain and distribute methamphetamine. He admitted to being directly responsible for possession with intent to distribute at least 500 grams of methamphetamine.

The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Van Zandt County Sheriff’s Office investigated the case and Assistant U.S. Attorney Alan Jackson prosecuted it.