LUBBOCK, Texas – United States Attorney for the Northern District of Texas Ryan Raybould today announced that a Lubbock man who led a high-purity methamphetamine trafficking operation was sentenced to more than 11 years in federal prison.
Steven Glenn Ryals, 72, also known as “Hot Tub,” was convicted of possession with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine. U.S. District Judge James Wesley Hendrix imposed the 135-month sentence today.
“Steven Ryals exploited his leadership of the Bandidos’ Lubbock chapter to push high purity methamphetamine into our community,” said U.S. Attorney Ryan Raybould. “Today’s sentence sends a clear message: we will aggressively pursue those who traffic dangerous drugs and dismantle the drug distribution networks that threaten West Texans.” “Today’s sentence reflects the FBI’s continued commitment to protecting our communities from the dangers of high purity narcotics and the criminal networks that distribute them,” said FBI Dallas Special Agent in Charge R. Joseph Rothrock. “This case underscores the impact of strong partnerships among federal, state, and local agencies and our shared resolve to disrupt drug trafficking organizations and hold traffickers accountable.” According to court documents, Ryals was the President of the Bandidos Motorcycle Club’s Lubbock Notorious Chapter and had served with the club for over 50 years. Federal law enforcement began investigating Ryals and other members in early 2025 for distributing methamphetamine in the Lubbock area. On Feb. 27, FBI agents and the Lubbock Anti-Gang Center executed a search warrant at the Bandidos clubhouse, which also served as Ryals’s residence. During that search, agents discovered approximately 3.2 pounds of suspected methamphetamine inside a locked filing‑cabinet drawer, along with Bandidos paraphernalia and tools used to package and distribute narcotics.
At sentencing, prosecutors outlined the results of DEA laboratory testing confirming the substance was 1,449.6 grams of methamphetamine hydrochloride at 98% purity, an amount consistent only with high‑level distribution. Additional methamphetamine was found in Ryals’s bedroom closet and in his vehicle during a traffic stop on the same day, all of which he admitted possessing with intent to distribute.
Ryals was previously convicted of methamphetamine trafficking and in 1999 received an identical 135‑month sentence for that offense. The FBI, the Lubbock Texas Anti‑Gang (TAG) Center and the Caprock High‑Intensity Drug Trafficking Area (HIDTA) conducted the investigation. TAG Center includes agents from DEA, ATF, Texas DPS, the Lubbock County Sheriff’s Office, and the Lubbock Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Stephen J. Rancourt prosecuted the case.