Texas Hydrocodone Smuggling Ring Suspect Sentenced

The first of four Dallas County residents was sentenced this week after pleading guilty to a prescription drug distribution conspiracy last November, reported the Department of Justice Northern District of Texas.

John Conte Smith, 35, was sentenced to more than three years in federal prison for his part in a hydrocodone and alprazolam distribution conspiracy that operated in Lubbock, Abilene and Dallas. Hydrocodone and alprazolam are schedule II and III narcotics, respectively.

Smith's co-defendants, Crystal Nicole Burks, Keith Deon Noel and Lee Santrell Boston, are scheduled to be sentenced later this year.

The Abilene Police Department and FBI investigated the case, which was prosecuted by Deputy Criminal Chief Assistant U.S. Attorney Denise Williams.