The attorney for a man facing sentencing in a large-scale methamphetamine conspiracy has disputed the extent of his involvement in the operation and has requested a mandatory minimum sentence.

Andre Graham, 31, of St. Louis, is set to be sentenced Monday in U.S. District Court in Bowling Green.

He is one of eight people to have been charged and pleaded guilty to conspiracy to possess a controlled substance with the intent to distribute.

Graham was accused of engaging in the conspiracy from Oct. 1, 2019, to Aug. 30, 2020, that involved purchases of large quantities of meth that were transported into Bowling Green from California.

A plea agreement in the case said Graham collected money from a co-defendant, Brandon Cherry, on behalf of another co-defendant, Tyrecus Crowe, and helped organize the illegal transaction that led to the seizure of nearly 40 pounds of meth by law enforcement.

The plea agreement said Graham solicited the services of co-defendant Raymond Derouse to drive the meth from California to Kentucky.

Court records said a 2020 traffic stop in Texas led to the seizure of 40 pounds of crystal meth, and subsequent investigation tied the vehicle and drugs to Crowe, who has pleaded guilty and awaits sentencing.

In a sentencing memorandum filed Monday, Graham’s court-appointed attorney, federal public defender Don Meier, said Graham’s involvement in the conspiracy was at a “low level” and lasted only two months after Graham moved to Bowling Green to help Crowe deal with a number of health issues.

Other than Crowe, Derouse was the only one of the co-defendants known to Graham, Meier said in the filing.

“Mr. Graham asserts that he had absolutely no decision-making authority and was not involved in the planning or organization of any drug offenses,” Meier said in the memorandum. “He had no control, or the ability to exercise authority over any of the other participants. … Mr. Graham did not pay Mr. Derouse, nor had any authority to direct his actions.”

Meier argues that Graham never received any cut in the proceeds from an illegal drug transaction, nor did he anticipate anything more than a minimal payment.

The extent of Graham’s involvement in the conspiracy will factor into whatever sentence he receives.

A pre-sentence investigation characterizes Graham as being a “manager or supervisor” in the conspiracy, which enhances his potential punishment.

With that classification, Graham faces a sentence ranging from 24 years and four months to 30 years and five months, based on federal sentencing guidelines.

Meier argues that a mandatory minimum imprisonment of 10 years is a fair punishment for Graham.

The memorandum acknowledges a prior drug-related felony conviction Graham received in Bowling Green, which resulted in incarceration with work release for less than a year.

After being discharged off parole, Graham moved to St. Louis, where he obtained factory work and has helped his girlfriend raise two children, Meier said.

Meier said Graham has accepted responsibility for his actions “from the start” and that he had let federal prosecutors know early on that he intended to plead guilty.

Meier argued that Graham has done well under supervision and is willing to accept counseling or rehabilitation if necessary, and he appears “extremely sincere about his desire to steer his life to the correct pathway, remorseful and a genuinely nice guy.”

– Follow courts reporter Justin Story on Twitter @jstorydailynews or visit bgdailynews.com.