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Randall "Randy" Lee Thompson, a former Cherokee County Pct. 3 constable and former Texas prison guard, was caught on tape discussing the sales, as well as threatening to kill or hurt others, including law enforcement officers, traveling to Mexico and planning other illegal activities.

Thompson, 37, pleaded guilty to distributing 108 grams of pseudoephedrine to a confidential witness working for the Federal Bureau of Investigation on Nov. 7. He admitted that he initially thought it was two pounds of ephedrine.

U.S. District Judge Leonard Davis sentenced him to 10 years in prison and two years of supervised release and ordered that he undergo drug treatment in prison.

Thompson apologized and said he just wanted to take care of his "babies." He said he was "stupid" and went about it the wrong way. "I'm sorry I got so weak that I got into something I've been enforcing for years," he said.

Clad in an orange jail jumpsuit, Thompson stood with his hands clasped behind his back while seven family members and friends watched from the audience.

U.S. Public Defender Wayne Dickey said the federal sentencing guideline range was 108-135 months but he believed Thompson should be assessed a punishment below that. He said Thompson's mental condition exasperated the custody problems he faced with his children.

"He's supposed to be protecting us from drugs but he's trying to put them out on the street," Assistant U.S. Attorney Richard Moore said, adding that Thompson didn't deserve any breaks.

Moore said Thompson met with the confidental witness (CW) six to seven times over that many weeks and had in-depth conversations about how he wanted the witness to take the chemicals to Dallas, have them made into meth, sold and the money brought to him.

Dickey said his client did not want the drugs back, just the money to help him win a lawsuit to get custody of his children. He said he took the drugs out of an evidence locker and was given money on two occasions, which he led authorities to.

Dickey said there were numerous letters from family and friend written to the judge, adding that he believed a 8-9 year sentence was appropriate.

Moore said it was a very serious offense. When law enforcement officers are supposed to be protecting the public, Thompson was taking measures to harm them. He said he talked about killing law enforcement if caught and bringing back drugs from Mexico. Moore said the FBI put a stop to it while Thompson was talking about continuing and enhancing the operation.

FBI Special Agent Stewart Fillmore testified earlier that there were seven recordings beginning in November of the CW and Thompson, including the transfer of the pseudoephedrine and cash on two occasions.

The FBI began its investigation into the constable and correctional officer for Texas Department of Criminal Justice after the CW came forward with allegations. He was arrested in January at a TDCJ training seminar.

The CW said the constable had approached him about selling the pseudoephedrine because he was having financial difficulties stemming from a custody battle with his ex-girlfriend over his two children, Fillmore said. On two occasions the CW paid Thompson a total of $2,400.

Thompson threatened people during the conversations, including his ex-girlfriend's boyfriend. Thompson also talked to the CW about what would happen if he wasn't paid. Hypothetically, he said, the person who didn't pay might be killed.

Thompson discussed a plan to find people in Mexico to smuggle into the U.S. for profit and to travel to Mexico to acquire pseudoephedrine in large quantities to sell. He said he would walk through the woods for miles to get drugs to the U.S. and would shoot federal agents if he had to, Fillmore said.

The agent said Thompson also discussed possibly having his Chevrolet Tahoe stolen to collect insurance money.

Casey Knaupp covers county, state and federal courts. She can be reached at 903.596.6289. e-mail: news@tylerpaper.com