A federal judge in East Tennessee has sentenced a twice-deported Jamaican national to more than 24 years in prison for his role in a large-scale drug trafficking conspiracy that operated in the Johnson City area. Courtney Sterling, 45, was sentenced to 292 months in federal prison by U.S. District Judge Clifton L. Corker in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Tennessee in Greeneville. Following his release from prison, Sterling will serve 10 years of supervised release.
According to court records, Sterling pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine, possession of a firearm as an illegal alien, and aggravated re-entry into the United States after removal. Prosecutors said Sterling, a Jamaican citizen, had previously been deported from the U.S. on two separate occasions before returning unlawfully.
The investigation began in November 2022, when the Johnson City Police Department received information about a marijuana shipment scheduled for delivery to a residence in Johnson City. A search warrant executed at Sterling’s home led officers to discover approximately 11 pounds of methamphetamine, 2.5 pounds of cocaine, and multiple firearms. Sterling was arrested at the time, and investigators later uncovered additional firearms, cocaine, and large sums of U.S. currency tied to the operation.
After being released on bond in Washington County, Sterling failed to appear in court and became a fugitive, authorities said. The investigation continued, and in October 2024, agents with Homeland Security Investigations, working alongside JCPD, the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation, and the Drug Enforcement Administration, intercepted another major drug shipment destined for Johnson City.
Federal prosecutors said Sterling coordinated the delivery of roughly 20 pounds of methamphetamine and 2.6 pounds of cocaine with co-defendants MJ Adams and Heather Ward. The drugs were shipped to a Johnson City residence for distribution throughout the Eastern District of Tennessee. A subsequent search of the home uncovered an additional pound of methamphetamine and more U.S. currency.
Judge Corker also sentenced co-defendant Heather Ward, 37, of Johnson City, to 120 months in federal prison, followed by five years of supervised release. The third co-defendant, MJ Adams, 41, also of Johnson City, is scheduled to be sentenced on February 4, 2026.
The case was announced by U.S. Attorney Francis M. Hamilton III and was investigated by a multi-agency task force including JCPD, Homeland Security Investigations, TBI, and the DEA. Federal prosecutors said the case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide Department of Justice initiative targeting illegal immigration, drug cartels, and transnational criminal organizations while focusing on violent crime and community safety.
