ST. LOUIS – A man who was twice involved with trying to transport kilograms of methamphetamine to St. Louis was sentenced Monday to 200 months in prison.
Courtney D. McDonald, 30, pleaded guilty in April to one count of conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine. He admitted paying an undercover agent of Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations $1,005 on Jan. 24, 2025, for the delivery of a 2006 Toyota Highlander that had once been packed with 55.18 kilograms of meth. The New Mexico State Police had intercepted the Highlander two days earlier and removed the meth.
On May 21, 2025, Drug Enforcement Administration agents arrested McDonald in Kansas City, Missouri after he got off a train. A drug-sniffing K-9 alerted to McDonald’s suitcase, which contained about 18 kilos of meth. McDonald’s backpack contained 3.27 grams of cocaine and $4,873 in cash.
Homeland Security Investigations, the Drug Enforcement Administration and the New Mexico State Police investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Paul D’Agrosa prosecuted the case.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), the Department of Justice’s nationwide initiative that brings federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement, prosecutors, and other public safety partners together to coordinate efforts to combat violent crime and make communities safe. Coordinated by U.S. Attorneys’ offices in each of the 94 federal districts, PSN is tailored to particular communities to strategically address specific violent crime and public safety challenges. As a key component of Operation Take Back America, PSN serves a central role in the Department’s commitment to make our country safe. PSN emphasizes three core principles: rapid federal response to violent crime and criminal offenders; strong, strategic partnerships among law enforcement at all levels; and accountability and deterrence through the prosecution of the most serious, readily provable offenses and other strategies. These efforts complement and strengthen President Trump’s Homeland Security Task Forces, ensuring a comprehensive federal response to the most pressing public safety issues facing communities.
Source: U.S. Attorney’s Office — Eastern District of Missouri — U.S. Department of Justice press release.