The Newport Plain Talk

GREENEVILLE-A Newport man was sentenced in U.S. District Court on Monday to 87 months in federal prison for drug conspiracy and firearms convictions.

U.S. District Judge Ronnie Greer also sentenced Johnny Dan Moss to spend five years on supervised federal probation.

Moss had pleaded guilty earlier, to conspiring to distribute and to possess, with the intent to distribute, five kilograms or more of cocaine and to possessing a firearm after having been convicted of a felony.

Judge Greer also ordered him to learn to read and write and complete requirements for a GED diploma, either while in prison or while serving his probationary sentence.

The judge also agreed to recommend that Moss be allowed to participate in the Bureau of Prisons' 500-hour residential "intensive drive abuse treatment program" while in prison.

In addition, the judge agreed to recommend that Moss be allowed to serve his sentence at the federal prison in Lexington, Ky.

A plea agreement filed in the case said that from "at least 2006 through at least February 2007, Moss conspired with Lee Emery Almany, Walter K. 'Scooter' Holt, Keith Hicks, and others, to distribute and possess with intent to distribute five kilograms, or more of a mixture and substance that contained cocaine."

Moss, according to the plea agreement, both distributed cocaine to other conspirators for resale and obtained cocaine for Almany for resale by Almany.

"Drug transactions in furtherance of the conspiracy occurred at Almany's business, the Sportsman Cafe, and other locations in and around Newport," the plea agreement said.

Moss, according to the plea agreement, was convicted in the Criminal Court for Anderson County, Tenn., in June 1980 of three counts of grand larceny. Those offenses were punishable by imprisonment for more than one year.

On Oct. 17, 2007, the plea agreement said, federal and state agents served a search warrant at Moss' 1105 Wonder Lane residence in Newport.

While agents were present, Moss allegedly volunteered "that he had a handgun in a nightstand next to be bed in his bedroom." Agents recovered from the night stand a Smith & Wesson Model 49 .38-cal. revolver loaded with five rounds of ammunition.

Subscribe to The Newport Plain Talk by clicking SUBSCRIBE. Sign up for Breaking News emails from The Newport Plain Talk by clicking EMAIL ALERTS and inputting your email address next to "Add Me" near the top right corner.