Roy Payne, an 80-year-old Vietnam War veteran with no prior criminal history, faces drug trafficking charges in Fort Worth after being arrested and charged with trafficking methamphetamine. Both his family and attorney believe he fell victim to a fraud scheme by international drug cartels, manipulated into smuggling drugs, thinking he was involved in winning international lotteries.
 Â
Key Points:Â
- Roy Payne, an 80-year-old decorated Vietnam War veteran, is on trial for drug trafficking charges; he was arrested after seven pounds of meth were found in his luggage upon returning to the U.S.
- Payne’s family asserts that he has recently fallen for numerous scams, including believing he won international lotteries, leading him to travel internationally.
- Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) has noted an emerging pattern where elderly Americans are being used in schemes to disrupt international drug trafficking rings.
- Federal authorities had been monitoring for one-way tickets to known trafficking locations, suggesting they might have been expecting Payne on his return.
- Despite the defense’s arguments, the U.S. Attorney’s Office is confident in their evidence against Payne, suggesting he was aware of his actions.
