INDIANAPOLIS – A Brazil man was among seven sentenced as part of a drug-trafficking ring.
Christopher Bays, 36, was sentenced to 16.5 years in federal prison and another five years of supervised release for conspiracy to distribute controlled substances, including methamphetamine and marijuana.
According to court documents, beginning approximately June 2019 and continuing through December 2019, Bays was part of a group that conspired to traffic illicit drugs in Indiana. During a months-long investigation, law enforcement discovered that large quantities of methamphetamine and marijuana were being shipped from California to various addresses in Muncie and Anderson.
The group maintained residences in Muncie and Anderson to store, process, and distribute the drugs and drug proceeds. Multiple members of the conspiracy possessed firearms to protect the organization’s drugs and money. After arriving in Indiana, the drugs were resold to others in Muncie, Anderson, Gosport and Brazil, Indiana.
The defendants had previously been indicted on their charges in 2019 and 2020. The seventh defendant, Mikhail Mgebrov, was sentenced Wednesday to 10 years in prison followed by five years of supervised release.
Other defendants and their sentences were:
- James Briscoe, 39, of Muncie, 23 years in prison
- Damarus Page, 40, of Anderson, 10 years in prison
- Bradley Clephane, 37, of Gosport, 262 months in prison
- Jeremi Zarco, 31, of Woodland Hills, Calif., 200 months in prison
- James Bell, 43, of Muncie, 8 years in prison
To date in this investigation, authorities have seized approximately 1.3 kilograms of methamphetamine as well as marijuana. In addition to drug seizures, authorities have seized over $15,000 in drug proceeds and seven firearms, including one AK-style, short barrel rifle.
