Sentence 12 years for seller of meth
Man described as key gang figure
A man described as a ranking member of the New Aryan Empire was sentenced Friday to 152 months in federal prison by U.S. District Judge Brian Miller for his part in a drug-trafficking ring that operated in Pope County in 2016 and 2017.
Andrew Syverson, 34, of Russellville pleaded guilty in October 2019 to one count of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine as part of a plea deal with federal prosecutors in exchange for two additional counts of conspiracy being dropped.
The New Aryan Empire, described by authorities as a white supremacist gang that directed a violent methamphetamine ring, began in the 1990s as a prison gang, but prosecutors said the organization eventually became involved in drug trafficking, witness intimidation, violent acts and even murder.
Syverson was one of the original 44 people indicted by a federal grand jury on Oct. 3, 2017, on conspiracy charges in a federal investigation dubbed “Operation to the Dirt,” a reference to the gang’s rule that members must remain until they die. Eight defendants were added to the case in a subsequent indictment.
Sentencing guidelines based on a presentencing report prepared by federal probation officials recommended that Syverson receive a sentence between 130 and 162 months, a fine ranging from $25,000 to $10
million and a period of supervised release ranging from five years to life.
James Wyatt, Syverson’s attorney, argued for as lenient a sentence as possible under the guidelines, saying that Syverson had the support of his family and was trying to straighten out his life. He also noted that a number of other gang members who have been sentenced had received sentences ranging closer to the lower end of the recommended guidelines in Syverson’s case.
“We would argue that 130 months would not only be consistent with others similarly situated, but that it would be sufficient punishment for his role in this matter,” Wyatt said. “As this court knows, this case has just gotten bigger and bigger and bigger as time has gone on and Mr. Syverson has accepted responsibility and entered a plea early on.”
Prosecutors asked that Syverson’s sentence be set at 150 months, noting that his criminal history spanned at least half his life so far. They also said that, as he progressed, his crimes became more serious in nature.
When he was arrested for his involvement with the New Aryan Empire, prosecutors said, he was on parole from the Arkansas Department of Corrections. Syverson’s role was described as an integral
part of the organization.
“He was right under Mr. [Wesley] Gullett, president of the NAE who is also named in the indictment,” said Assistant U.S. Attorney Liza Brown. “He’s part of the New Aryan Empire, he’s aiding this organization and while he was not charged in the RICO [Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act] part, that’s the fact of the matter in this.”
Syverson told Miller that when he was released from state prison in 2016, he initially was doing well, but ran into trouble when he lost his job.
“I’m not proud of what I did,” he said. “I never was a drug dealer. I’ve always been a user but I just got caught up in things.”
“I think Ms. Brown is being a little bit temperate here,” Miller said. “I think your history calls for a larger sentence. If you look at your presentence report, you were dealing pound quantities. It wasn’t that you were just dealing with a little bit of meth here and there. You were running pound quantities.”
Syverson tried to distance himself from the white-supremacist gang, saying he has written letters to the New Aryan Empire leadership disavowing his association.
“I don’t want anything to do with that movement,” he said.
“I know you have disavowed the organization and sent letters and all of that, I have that information,” Miller said. “But even if you said I
still am a member but I don’t want to commit crimes anymore, I’m not going to give you more time just because you have certain beliefs. That’s not the way courts should operate. Each human has the right to believe anything they want to but when you get out here and you commit crimes then I have to deal with it.”
Miller told Syverson that his involvement in moving large quantities of methamphetamine indicated that he should receive a harsher sentence than other co-defendants who had received lighter sentences because they had dealt with lesser quantities of the drug.
In addition to the sentence of 12½ years in prison, Miller sentenced him to five years of supervised release and advised Syverson to take advantage of vocational opportunities offered in the federal prison system. He did not impose a fine.
“At 12½ years, you’ll be quit a bit younger than I am now when you get out. You’ll have your whole life to live,” Miller said. “Now, the question is, what kind of life do you want to live when you get out? Do you want the same life you’ve lived up to 34 or do you want a different life?”
So far, 10 of the 52 members of the New Aryan Empire named in the indictment have been sentenced; seven are awaiting trial. The remainder have either pleaded or scheduled a plea date, the U.S. attorney’s office said.