Richfield Felon Sentenced to 21 Years in Prison in Methamphetamine Distribution Conspiracy

MINNEAPOLIS - A Richfield man has been sentenced to 262 months in prison followed by 10 years of supervised release for his role in a methamphetamine distribution conspiracy, announced U.S. Attorney Andrew M. Luger.

On September 19, 2023, Andrew Jerome Bigbee, 58, was convicted by a federal jury on one count of conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine and three counts of possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine. He was sentenced yesterday in U.S. District Court by Judge John R. Tunheim.

According to the evidence presented at trial, the defendant conspired to distribute methamphetamine between approximately September 2019 and May 2021. Law enforcement officers obtained a warrant and searched the defendant's house in Richfield, Minnesota, on September 4, 2019. Law enforcement found more than 520 grams of methamphetamine in the defendant's house, as well as other miscellaneous indicators of drug trafficking, such as a digital scale, more than $8,000 in cash, a money counting machine, drug packaging materials, and two firearms.

According to the evidence presented at trial, on October 16, 2020, law enforcement searched the defendant's RV in Bloomington, Minnesota. There, law enforcement found more than 5,000 grams of methamphetamine throughout the RV as well as drug trafficking paraphernalia, including a vacuum sealer machine, plastic bags, digital scales, a money counting machine, and more than $300,000 in cash. On May 6, 2021, law enforcement searched the defendant's residence in Elko, Minnesota. Law enforcement found almost 12,000 grams of methamphetamine in the residence. Law enforcement also found additional evidence of drug trafficking, including a digital scale, a money counter machine, almost $18,000 in cash, and a firearm.

This case is the result of an investigation conducted by the Drug Enforcement Administration, Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension, Bloomington Police Department, Scott County Sheriff's Office, Edina Police Department, Richfield Police Department, Southwest Hennepin Drug Task Force, and the Springerville Police Department in Arizona.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Nathan H. Nelson prosecuted the case.