MICHIGAN (WLUC) – U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Michigan Mark Totten announced Wednesday that a 31-year-old Roseville man has been sentenced to federal prison for leading a conspiracy that trafficked more than 500 grams of methamphetamine from Detroit to Houghton and Mackinac Counties. in December 2022 and January 2023.

According to a news release, Charles Lester Knuckles, Jr. was sentenced to 132 months.

“Mr. Knuckles operated a methamphetamine drug trafficking pipeline from the Detroit area to northern Michigan,” said U.S. Attorney Mark Totten. “We will continue to work with our local, state and federal law enforcement partners in UP and across the district to hold dealers accountable and keep illegal drugs off our streets.”

The Upper Peninsula Substances Enforcement Team (UPSET) and the US Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) introduced a confidential informant to Samantha Short, 30, of Hancock. Short was a meth user and dealer and knew Knuckles from a previous relationship. On December 14, 2022, the confidential informant and Short called Knuckles to arrange the sale of four ounces of methamphetamine. On December 16, 2022, Knuckles sent Lyric Elizabeth Stevenson, 28, of Harper Woods, and David Lee Chatman, Jr., 38, of Inkster, to deliver methamphetamine to Houghton County .

The press release says Knuckles negotiated terms for the sale of an additional amount of methamphetamine with the government’s confidential informant. On December 22, 2022, Stevenson and Chatman shipped over eight ounces of methamphetamine from the Detroit area to Houghton County for Knuckles. A third shipment of methamphetamine was arranged on January 7, 2023. This time, Short traveled from Houghton County to Mackinac County to meet Stevenson and Chatman, who were also accompanied by Bernard Desean Harris, 24, of Detroit. Harris accompanied Short on the return trip to Houghton County and was stopped by Michigan State Police. A search of their vehicle turned up 241.6 grams of methamphetamine.

On December 12, 2023, Knuckles, Short, Stevenson, Chatman, and Harris were indicted by a federal grand jury on methamphetamine conspiracy and other methamphetamine-related charges. Knuckles, Short, Stevenson and Harris each pleaded guilty to the methamphetamine conspiracy.

On August 13, Chief US District Judge Hala Y. Jarbou sentenced Short to 41 months in prison and Harris to 46 months in prison. Co-defendant Lyric Elizabeth Stevenson is scheduled for sentencing by US District Judge Paul L. Maloney on January 21, 2025. Co-defendant David Lee Chatman, Jr. entered into a pre-trial diversion agreement in which his prosecution was delayed for a period. of 12 months provided he successfully complies with a number of conditions set by the government and the US Probation Office.

The US Drug Enforcement Administration, the Upper Peninsula Substance Abuse Task Force and the Michigan State Police investigated the case, and Assistant US Attorney Joel S. Fauson is prosecuting it.

The charges in an indictment are only allegations, and the defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty.

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