Western District

A Hope man has been sentenced to 210 months in prison followed by four years of supervised release on one count of possession of more than five grams of methamphetamine with the intent to distribute.

Federal District Judge Susan O. Hickey presided over the sentencing hearing in the U.S. District Court in Hot Springs.

According to court documents, Kaiven Wesley, 42, was identified by law enforcement to be part of a Drug Trafficking Organization (DTO) distributing methamphetamine in the Malvern area. The Drug Trafficking Organization was led by Jedadire Leshawn Nellums, 46, who was sentenced to 240 months in federal prison in May 2023.

On August 17, 2020, searches were conducted at multiple properties associated with the Nellums’ DTO, resulting in investigators locating and seizing over 1,400 grams of pure methamphetamine. Additionally, Wesley was arrested on that same date and found to be in possession of an additional 49.04 grams of pure methamphetamine.

U.S. Attorney David Clay Fowlkes of the Western District of Arkansas made the announcement.

The Drug Enforcement Administration investigated the case.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Bryan Achorn prosecuted the case.