A man with a long criminal history was sentenced to 14 years in federal prison Thursday for distribution of methamphetamine.
Randy Caldwell, 40, appeared before U.S. District Judge Susan Hickey for sentencing with Hot Springs, Ark., lawyer Morse Gist in the Texarkana Division of the Western District of Arkansas. Hickey sentenced Caldwell to 168 months in federal prison with five years of supervised release to follow.
Hickey recommended that Caldwell participate in an intensive drug treatment program while in prison and that he work to complete a high school equivalency diploma while behind bars. Should Caldwell fail to complete his GED while behind bars, he is ordered to enroll in classes upon release from prison.
According to testimony given at a detention hearing in October, Caldwell has seven prior drug-related felony convictions. At the time of the offense he was sentenced for Thursday, Caldwell was on parole in Arkansas from a state court sentence.
Gist filed a sentencing memorandum lamenting Caldwell's long-term problem with drugs and alcohol and his myriad health problems.
Caldwell pleaded guilty to the second count listed in a two-count indictment Dec. 19. That count charges Caldwell with distributing more than 50 grams of methamphetamine in July 2017. The first count of the indictment, which also accuses Caldwell of distributing meth in July 2017, was dismissed on a motion from Assistant U.S. Attorney Denis Dean at Thursday's hearing.
Caldwell has been in jail since his arrest in June 2018. Hickey ordered that Caldwell will receive credit for the time he spent in jail since his arrest on the federal indictment.