A man from Atkinson, New Hampshire has been sentenced to 15 years in federal prison for possessing and intending to distribute nearly 10 pounds of methamphetamine pills. Walter Norton, 46, received his sentence on February 25, 2026, from Senior U.S. District Judge William G. Young in Boston. In addition to the prison term, Norton was ordered to serve 10 years of supervised release and pay a $250,000 fine. He was convicted by a jury in May 2025 for one count of possession with intent to distribute at least 500 grams of methamphetamine.
The case stems from an incident on April 3, 2024, when law enforcement officers conducting a money laundering investigation saw Norton visit the home of co-defendant Jason Hunter in Revere. After leaving the residence, police attempted a traffic stop on Interstate 95. According to authorities, Norton fled at speeds over 110 miles per hour using the left shoulder of the highway before colliding with another vehicle and breaking his car’s axle. The vehicle came to rest facing the wrong direction in the center lane. Norton then tried to escape on foot while carrying a bag containing more than 15,000 counterfeit Adderall pills laced with methamphetamine and weighing approximately 4.4 kilograms (nearly ten pounds). He was apprehended shortly after.
Searches conducted at Hunter’s home and vehicle led to the seizure of more than 16 kilograms of counterfeit pills containing methamphetamine as well as thousands more pills with fentanyl, additional oxycodone pills, over one kilogram of cocaine, multiple kilograms of marijuana and $100,000 believed to be drug proceeds.
Hunter was sentenced separately on January 8, 2026 to fifteen years in prison followed by five years of supervised release.
United States Attorney Leah B. Foley stated: “Valuable assistance was provided by the Massachusetts State Police.” Jarod A. Forget, Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration’s Boston Field Division also participated in announcing the outcome.
First Assistant U.S. Attorney Katherine Ferguson and Assistant U.S. Attorney Alathea Porter prosecuted this case.
The prosecution is part of efforts under the Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) initiative established by Executive Order 14159: Protecting the American People Against Invasion. The HSTF brings together multiple federal agencies including HSI, FBI, DEA and others along with state and local law enforcement partners focused on targeting criminal cartels and transnational organizations operating within or outside United States borders.