Taylor Melton Addington, 33, of Phoenix, Arizona, was sentenced on April 13, 2023, by United States District Judge Jennifer G. Zipps to six years in prison, followed by five years of supervised release. Addington also was ordered to pay a $5,000.00 fine. Addington pleaded guilty to Conspiracy to Distribute Methamphetamine.

In September 2019, Addington sold approximately four pounds of methamphetamine to undercover government agents at his auto shop in Phoenix. In the weeks that followed, Addington negotiated with an undercover agent to provide an additional 100 pounds of methamphetamine, which the parties agreed would be delivered to a location in Washington State. While the transaction was being negotiated, Addington sent the attached photo to the undercover agent of a partial shipment of the drugs.

Addington was arrested on October 23, 2019, in Oak Harbor, Washington, when he delivered 50 pounds of methamphetamine, as the first part of the 100-pound transaction, to the undercover agent.

Homeland Security Investigations conducted the investigation in this case. Assistant United States Attorney Stefani K. Hepford, District of Arizona, Tucson, handled the prosecution.