Jackson, Miss. – Steven Davison, 32, from Houston, Texas, and Kendrick Applewhite, 44, of Bassfield, Mississippi, were sentenced today by Chief U.S. District Daniel P. Jordan III for their roles in a conspiracy to possess with the intent to distribute marijuana, announced U.S. Attorney Mike Hurst and Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) Assistant Special Agent in Charge J. Derryle Smith.

Davison was sentenced to 100 months in federal prison, followed by 3 years of supervised release, and ordered to pay a fine of $1,500.00. Applewhite was sentenced to 21 months in federal prison, followed by 3 years of supervised release, and ordered to pay a fine of $1,500.00.

On March 24, 2013, DEA seized approximately 262 pounds of marijuana at the Pilot Travel Center located in Jackson, Mississippi, from Kendrick Applewhite and Steven Davison. During the course of the investigation, agents learned that Kevin Lawrence ordered the marijuana and coordinated the pickup of the marijuana with Applewhite and Davison. The three were indicted on December 13, 2017.

Davison and Applewhite pled guilty on September 20, 2018, to conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute marijuana.

On October 4, 2018, Lawrence was found guilty after a four-day trial of conspiring to possess with intent to distribute marijuana, possessing marijuana with intent to distribute, and using a communication facility to commit the offense. He will be sentenced at a later date to be determined by the Court.

This case was investigated by the DEA Jackson District Office, DEA Gulf Coast HIDTA and the Jackson Police Department. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Chris Wansley and John Meynardie.