TEXARKANA, Texas - A Chicago man who was found guilty earlier this year of federal drug and weapons offenses by a jury in Texarkana was sentenced Thursday to more than 13 years in prison.
James "Outlaw" Morgan, 44, appeared for sentencing Thursday afternoon before U.S. District Judge Robert Schroeder III with Texarkana lawyer Jeff Harrelson. Morgan was found guilty at the end of a trial in April of possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine and felon in possession of a firearm.
Morgan's co-defendant, Antonio Alexander Lee, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to possess with the intent to distribute methamphetamine earlier this year and was sentenced in August to 94 months in federal prison.
Morgan did not receive any downward variances in his sentence for acceptance of responsibility as did Lee. At Thursday's hearing, Harrelson argued that Lee was actually played a bigger role in the crime and lamented that Morgan will serve more time in federal prison.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Allen Hurst pointed out that Morgan has an extensive number of prior arrests and convictions.
"This defendant is 44 and he's got an incredibly long criminal history," Hurst said.
Hurst said that while Morgan claims to be a former gang member, he involved himself with a gang member and traveled with Lee from Chicago to Dallas to pick up a large amount of methamphetamine. The two were arrested following a traffic stop on Interstate 30 near Mount Pleasant, Texas. Inside the car, police found approximately 75 grams of methamphetamine and a handgun.
"We don't know for sure how they got the dope in Dallas," Hurst said.
Hurst also mentioned that heroin found in the car may have been for Morgan's personal use and said he believes both Lee and Morgan were "equally involved" in the criminal activity.
At the time of the stop in September 2017, Morgan and Lee fled from police.
"During the traffic stop, Morgan fled on foot while a passenger, Antonio Alexander Lee, got back in the vehicle and drove away before being stopped by spike strips in Bowie County, Texas. Morgan was apprehended on a rural county road after crossing all lanes of IH-30 on foot and a barbed-wire fence," a press statement from the U.S. Attorney's Office states.
Harrelson argued that Morgan's role in the crimes was far less than Lee's and Schroeder agreed, granting the defense a slight departure downward in the sentencing guidelines.
Schroeder sentenced Morgan to 160 months for possession of methamphetamine with intent to distribute and to 120 months for being a felon in possession of a firearm. Both terms will run concurrently. Following his release, Morgan will be supervised by federal officials for eight
years.
Schroeder urged Morgan to take advantage of rehabilitative programs available in the Bureau of Prisons.
"You've been at this a long time and I hope you will take this opportunity to get your life back on track," Schroeder said. "You've got some good years left and I don't think you want to spend them doing what you've been doing. I hope you won't let this opportunity pass to make a better life for yourself."