AMARILLO, Texas (KAMR/KCIT) — A man previously indicted in Amarillo Federal Court in October 2022 has officially pleaded guilty to methamphetamine possession.
According to documents filed Sunday in the United States District Court for the Northern District of Texas Amarillo Division, William Sean Gilmore pleaded guilty to one count of “Possession with Intent to Distribute Methamphetamine” in relation to an incident in Amarillo in October 2022.
According to previous reports by MyHighPlains.com, Gilmore was arrested on Oct. 7, 2022 after officers from the Amarillo Police Department, along with the sheriff’s offices for both Potter and Randall counties, searched his vehicle and found drugs. Gilmore was indicted in Amarillo Federal Court later that month.
In the factual resume, filed on Sunday in Amarillo Federal Court, officers observed a traffic violation occur near a residence in northeast Amarillo where they were conducting surveillance. Officers then pulled over an orange Dodge Charger, driven by Gilmore.
During the traffic stop, the resume states that the officer “noticed indicators of criminal activity while speaking to Gilmore,” and asked for consent to search the vehicle. According to the documents, Gilmore allegedly denied consent to search the vehicle, causing officers to use a drug detection canine to perform a “free air sniff” around the vehicle.
During a “probable cause search” of the car, officers allegedly located a purple duffle bag in the trunk of the Dodge Charger, containing 13 bundles of suspected methamphetamine, along with suspected fentanyl pills. Gilmore was then arrested and allegedly told officers during an interview that he drove to El Paso to pick up the drugs and was instructed to drive them back to Amarillo.
According to the plea agreement, which accompanied the factual resume, the minimum and maximum penalties Amarillo Federal Court officials can impose include:
- Imprisonment for a period of not more than 20 years;
- A fine not to exceed $1,000,000, or twice any pecuniary gain to the defendant or loss to the victim(s);
- A term of supervised release not less than three years or more than life, which is mandatory under the law and will follow any term of imprisonment;
- Forfeiture of property.
According to additional documents filed in Amarillo Federal Court, Gilmore’s re-arraignment has been scheduled for 9:30 a.m. on Feb. 8 in Amarillo Federal Court.
