Robert Jessie Martin, 47, of Alto, has been sentenced to 220 months (18 years and 4 months) in federal prison for his role in a methamphetamine manufacturing and distribution conspiracy. Acting U.S. Attorney Abe McGlothin, Jr. announced the sentence, which was handed down by U.S. District Judge J. Campbell Barker in the Eastern District of Texas on April 17, 2025. Judge Barker also ordered the forfeiture of Martin’s 75-acre property in Cherokee County.
According to evidence presented in court, Martin conspired with others to distribute at least five kilograms of methamphetamine mixture and over 500 grams of pure methamphetamine. As a key part of the operation, Martin established rotary tablet pill presses on his property near Alto. There, he manufactured and pressed hundreds of thousands of counterfeit pills laced with methamphetamine, which were then distributed across the United States for profit. Martin was responsible for recruiting and supplying wholesale and mid-level distributors for his illicitly produced pills.
On July 11, 2023, law enforcement executed a federal search and arrest warrant at Martin’s property near Alto. The operation resulted in the seizure of five firearms, five rotary pill presses, 111.22 grams of pure methamphetamine, approximately 7,669 grams of powdered methamphetamine, and 29,283 methamphetamine-laced pills.
The investigation was a joint effort involving Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), the HSI Currency Narcotics Enforcement Team-Houston, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration, the Cherokee County Sheriff’s Office, the Jacksonville Police Department, and the Texas Department of Public Safety. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Allen Hurst.
