Regional News: Checotah 66-year-old man enters guilty plea to 2023 distribution of methamphetamine

A Checotah resident has pleaded guilty in federal court to distributing a significant quantity of methamphetamine, according to a press release issued by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma.

Andrew Frank Leblance, also known as Andrew Frank Leblance Jr., age 66, admitted to knowingly distributing 50 grams or more of methamphetamine, a Schedule II controlled substance, on October 3, 2023.

The charge carries a mandatory minimum sentence of 5 years and a maximum of up to 40 years in federal prison, along with a potential $5 million fine.

The case stemmed from a joint investigation led by the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) and the Oklahoma Bureau of Narcotics, signaling ongoing federal and state cooperation in dismantling drug trafficking operations in Eastern Oklahoma.

U.S. Magistrate Judge Jason A. Robertson accepted Leblance’s guilty plea and ordered a presentence investigation report. Sentencing will be determined by a U.S. District Court Judge following review of the federal sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors. Leblance remains in custody of the U.S. Marshals Service pending the outcome.

The prosecution is being led by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jordan Howanitz, as part of the federal government’s continued efforts to combat illegal drug distribution in rural communities.