Advance man sentenced to prison on drug charges

A Stoddard County man was sentenced to five years in prison on federal drug charges late last week.

Brian Charles Nalley, 42, of Advance, Mo., was sentenced to 60 months in prison on one felony count of possession of 5 grams or more of methamphetamine with intent to distribute.

Upon his release, Nalley will be placed on supervised release for three years.

Additionally, he was ordered to forfeit $3,555 in drug proceeds and a 1996 Harley-Davidson motorcycle that had been purchased with drug proceeds.

With his guilty plea, Nalley admitted that on Nov. 29, officers of the SEMO Drug Task Force and Stoddard County Sheriff's Department executed a search warrant at his residence near Advance. Officers reported seizing methamphetamine and drug paraphernalia.

Also arrested in the same bust were a man and woman from Fort Worth, Texas, Edward A. Sanchez, 48, and Tina Esquivel, 46.

Since Esquivel and Sanchez were reportedly transporting the drugs across state lines, the pair was turned over to the Drug Enforcement Agency.

The estimated street value of the drugs seized was nearly $17,000, according to Sheriff Carl Hefner.

Both Esquivel and Sanchez pleaded guilty to one felony count of possession with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine.

Esquivel now faces a maximum of 40 years imprisonment and a $2 million fine, or both. Sanchez, because of a previous drug conviction, faces a potential sentence of up to life imprisonment and a $4 million fine.