Man gets three years probation for role in synthetic drug trade
A Jefferson City man will serve his sentence on supervised release for his part in a mid-Missouri synthetic drug case.
Billie Bruce received his three-year sentence Thursday in federal court. He pleaded guilty to distribution of a controlled substance in September, after he was caught selling synthetic cannabinoids at S&J Tobacco in Callaway County two years ago. The government dropped four other charges as part of the plea agreement.
A grand jury indicted Bruce and 12 others for selling “incense” at smoke shops throughout mid-Missouri. Those included S&J Tobacco and Inscentives Resale in Fulton and Auxvasse. Federal authorities claimed the defendants made $6.6 million through the sale of the drugs.
Bruce’s attorney John Gromowsky argued that he was simply a clerk at the store and did not deserve significant prison time. Gromowsky wrote that Bruce was not “directly profiting” from the sale of the synthetic drugs like other defendants, “deriving no greater benefit from the sale of a packet of incense than he did from the sale of a packet of cigarettes.”
Growmowsky did admit that Bruce “was not ignorant to the fact that customers were likely using the products in a manner inconsistent with labeling.” The “incense” packets commonly come with a warning about human consumption.
Bruce will also need to pay a $100 fine and complete any substance abuse counseling required by the probation office.
Six other defendants previously pleaded guilty in federal court, while Bruce is the first to be sentenced. Casey D. Miller also pleaded guilty to selling drugs. Dara L. Shirley admitted to participating in a money laundering scheme, while Shawn Browning, Timothy C. Sandfort, Joshua Sheets and Brandon Rader pleaded guilty to money laundering and mail fraud.
