Columbia Man Pleads Guilty in Methamphetamine Conspiracy

A Columbia man pleaded guilty in federal court on July 11 to his role in a conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine and to illegally possessing a firearm.

32-year-old Gary Deangelo Warren was arrested in May after he arrived at an arranged meeting place to sell meth to a confidential informant. Warren was carrying two baggies of methamphetamine and a loaded semi-automatic pistol.

A co-defendant, Michael Scott Bilderback, was arrested the same day, and also pleaded guilty to his role in the drug-trafficking conspiracy.

News release from the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Western District of Missouri

July 11, 2018, JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. – A Columbia, Mo., man pleaded guilty in federal court today to his role in a conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine and to illegally possessing a firearm.

Gary Deangelo Warren, 32, pleaded guilty before U.S. Magistrate Judge Willie J. Epps, Jr., to one count of conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine and one count of possessing a firearm in relation to a drug-trafficking crime.

Co-defendant Michael Scott Bilderback, 39, pleaded guilty on May 31, 2018, to his role in the drug-trafficking conspiracy.

Warren was arrested on May 8, 2017, when he arrived at the arranged meeting place to sell methamphetamine to a confidential informant. Warren was carrying two plastic baggies with a total of approximately 16.1 grams of methamphetamine and a loaded Jimenez Arms .380-caliber semi-automatic pistol. Officers also found a plastic bag containing approximately 445.2 grams of pure methamphetamine inside a shoebox on the rear passenger floorboard of the vehicle Warren was driving.

Bilderback, who was arrested on the same day, received methamphetamine from Warren to distribute to others. Bilderback admitted to selling at least eight ounces of methamphetamine a day during the two months prior to his arrest. Columbia police officers seized approximately 112.7 grams of methamphetamine during the execution of a search warrant at Bilderback’s motel room in Columbia.

Under the terms of today’s plea agreement, the government and Warren agree to a sentence of 15 years in federal prison without parole. The sentencing of the defendant will be determined by the court based on the advisory sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors. A sentencing hearing will be scheduled after the completion of a presentence investigation by the United States Probation Office.

This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Lawrence E. Miller and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Aaron Jolly. It was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Columbia, Mo., Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.