News Release [print friendly page]
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
September 27, 2006
CONTACT PERSON:
Joanna Zoltay
Public Affairs Officer
Cell: (312) 656-9611

Forty-Two Charged in Three Indictments for Federal Drug Trafficking
Three Indictments Unsealed This Morning

Susan W. Brooks, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Indiana, and DEA Assistant Special Agent in Charge Dennis Wichern announced the indictments of 42 individuals and arrest of 38 individuals for trafficking crystal methamphetamine, crack cocaine, powder cocaine, and marijuana. Three indictments were unsealed today in U.S. District Court in Evansville. Over 220 law enforcement officers participated in the execution of 18 search warrants in Indiana related to the investigation. Execution of the warrants resulted in the recovery of more than $69,000 in cash, and 15 firearms. The indictments were the result of an investigation lead by the Drug Enforcement Administration (Evansville, Indiana, Nashville, Tennessee, and Dallas, Texas), Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Federal Bureau of Investigation, United States Marshal Service, and Evansville/Vanderburgh County Joint Drug Task Force. The Indiana State Police, Evansville Police Department, Vanderburgh County Sheriff’s Department, and the Indiana State Police assisted with the investigation.

The indictments charge Forty-Two individuals as follows:

The first indictment charges nine individuals with conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute five hundred (500) grams or more of methamphetamine and other substantive drug charges. The individuals charged in the methamphetamine indictment are as follows:

Name, Age, City, Possible Sentence
Jose A. Cabrera, a/k/a “Tony”, 27, Dallas, Texas, 20 to life
Rickey Boyd, a/k/a “Slick”, 36, Spring, Texas, 20 to life
Christopher A. Langley, a/k/a/ “Cal”, 37, Evansville, IN, 10 to life
Floyd Brogden, 35, Evansville, IN, 10 to life
Troy Horne, 24, Evansville, IN, 10 to life
Ramon Clayton, a/k/a “Shark”, 32, Evansville, IN, 20 to life
Laura J. Williams, 33, Irving, Texas, 10 to life
Nyiesha Foxxy Hopkins, 37, Irving, Texas, 10 to life
Shalissa G. Walker, a/k/a “Bliss”, 37, Dallas, Texas, 10 to life

The second indictment charges twenty-eight (28) individuals with conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute five kilograms or more of cocaine, fifty (50) grams or more of cocaine base (a.k.a. “crack” cocaine), and other substantive drug charges. The individuals charged in the cocaine and cocaine base indictment are as follows:

Name, Age, City, Possible Sentence
William Payne, a/k/a “Pooh”, 33, Evansville, IN, 10 to life
Amir Morgan, a/k/a “Smir”, 31, Evansville, IN, 20 to life
Torrey Kendall, 35, Nashville, TN, 10 to life
Derrick Franklin, 37, Los Angeles, CA, 20 to life
Jody Terrell, 37, Gardena, CA, 10 to life
Matthew Yeley, 27, Evansville, IN, 10 to life
Paul Majors, a/k/a “Fat Paul, 30, Evansville, IN, life
LeShaun Warren, a/k/a “Big Warren” a/k/a “Nelson”, 28, Evansville, IN, 10 to life
Donoto Baker, a/k/a “Noto”, 27, Evansville, IN, 20 to life
Michael Armstrong, 25, Princeton, IN, 10 to life
Rawlo McNary, 29, Evansville, IN, life
Phillip Wilkerson, 23, Princeton, IN, 10 to life
Anthony Cook, a/k/a “A.C.”, 25, Evansville, IN, 10 to life
Troy Miller, a/k/a “Frail”, 34, Evansville, IN, 20 to life
Ahmad Fleming, a/k/a “Big Mod” 30 Evansville, IN, life
Kevin Ira Smith, a/k/a “Peanut”, 37, Evansville, IN, 20 to life
Demario Minor, a/k/a “Boom Boom”, 28, Evansville, IN, 20 to life
Arthur Jones, Jr., 35, Evansville, IN, 10 to life
Harry Waddell, Jr., a/k/a “Tuffy”, 38, Evansville, IN, life
Robert F. Thomas, 28, Evansville, IN, 20 to life
Steve Wood, 27, Evansville, IN, 10 to life
Randell Fentress, 42, Evansville, IN, 20 to life
Thomas Hampton, a/k/a “Pony”, 24, Evansville, IN, 10 to life
Gary Cartwright, Jr., 26, Evansville, IN, 10 to life
Elaundrea Majors, a/k/a “Kuna”, 35, Evansville, IN, 10 to life
Benjamin Parish, 25, Owensville, IN, 10 to life
James Young, a/k/a “Boca”, 42, Princeton, IN, 20 to life
Travis Perigo, 27, Evansville, IN, 10 to life

The third indictment charges seven individuals with conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute one hundred (100) kilograms or more of marijuana. The individuals charged in the marijuana indictment are as follows:

Name Age City Possible Sentence
Aaron Drumm 25 Muncie, IN 5 to 40
Jeffrey Drumm 46 Muncie, IN 5 to 40
Michael Armstrong 25 Princeton, IN 10 to life
Benjamin Parish 25 Owensville, IN 10 to life
Eric B. Ferguson 24 Vincennes, IN 5 to 40
Myron Berry 24 Princeton, IN 5 to 40
Sopheia Oglsby 23 Princeton, IN 5 to 40

(Armstrong and Parish are charged in both the cocaine and marijuana indictments) The methamphetamine indictment alleges that the defendants were engaged in conspiring to bring methamphetamine to Evansville from the Dallas, Texas area from July through September, 2006. After the methamphetamine arrived in Evansville, the conspirators distributed the drug in the Evansville community. The cocaine indictment alleges that the defendants were engaged in conspiring to bring cocaine to Evansville from Nashville, Tennessee and Los Angeles, California, from April through September, 2006. The conspirators then distributed the cocaine as powder and “crack” cocaine in the Evansville and Princeton communities. The marijuana indictment alleges that the defendants were engaged in conspiring to bring marijuana to the Princeton area from Muncie, from April through August, 2006. After the marijuana arrived in Princeton, the conspirators distributed the drug in the Princeton community. Dennis A. Wichern, the Assistant Special Agent in Charge of the Indianapolis District Office which covers Evansville, Indiana, stated, "The cooperative efforts of federal, state, and local law enforcement resulted in the dismantling of not just one, but three different drug distribution organizations that brought marijuana, cocaine and methamphetamine into our community. We will continue to work with our law enforcement partners to keep these poisons off our streets and keep our neighborhoods and schools safe." The DEA-led investigation lasted for over six months and included the confiscation of approximately $300,000 worth of controlled substances. All told, law enforcement seized and purchased over four hundred (400) grams of “ crack” cocaine, approximately one kilogram of powder cocaine, and approximately three pounds of crystal methamphetamine from members of the conspiracies. More than $90,000 cash was also seized by police.

The following law enforcement agencies were involved in the execution of the search warrants:

• DEA - Evansville, Indianapolis, Dallas, TX, Nashville, TN, Louisville and Madisonville, KY
• FBI - Evansville and Indianapolis
• ATF - Evansville
• United States Marshal Service
• Evansville-Vanderburgh County Drug Task Force
• Evansville Police Department
• Vanderburgh County Sheriff’s Department
• Indiana State Police
• Gibson County Sheriff’s Department
• Princeton Police Department
• Daviess County Sheriff’s Department
• Warrick County sheriff’s Department
• Indianapolis Police Department
• Vincennes Police Department
• Muncie Police Department
• Mesquite, Texas Police Department

According to Assistant United States Attorney Matthias D. Onderak, who is prosecuting the case for the government, the defendants involved in the methamphetamine and cocaine conspiracies, if convicted, face maximum possible prison sentences of life without parole. According to prosecutor Onderak, the defendants involved in the marijuana conspiracy, if convicted, face up to forty (40) years imprisonment.