Columbia Man Added to Heroin Trafficking Conspiracy

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. – Tammy Dickinson, United States Attorney for the Western District of Missouri, announced that a Columbia, Mo., man was charged in a federal indictment today for his role in a conspiracy to distribute heroin.

James Delarosa Borden, also known as “Jimmy White,” “Detroit,” and “D,” 40, of Columbia, was charged in a nine-count indictment returned by a federal grand jury in Jefferson City, Mo. Today’s second superseding indictment replaces an earlier indictment and adds Borden as a defendant. His cousin, James Delvico Borden, 38, along with Matthew Alec Ell, 20, Angelic Melanie Polston, 20, and Javis Deonn Wideman, 37, all of Columbia, were previously charged.

Today’s indictment alleges that all five defendants participated in a conspiracy to distribute 100 grams or more of heroin in Boone County, Mo., from July to October 2014.

In addition to the conspiracy, James Delarosa Borden is charged with one count of distributing heroin, Ell is charged with five counts of distributing heroin, Ell and Polston are charged together in one count of distributing heroin, and Wideman and James Delvico Borden are charged together in one count of distributing heroin.

Dickinson cautioned that the charges contained in this indictment are simply accusations, and not evidence of guilt. Evidence supporting the charges must be presented to a federal trial jury, whose duty is to determine guilt or innocence.

This case is being prosecuted by Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Stuart J. Zander. It was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Columbia, Mo., Police Department, the Jefferson City, Mo., Police Department and MUSTANG (the Mid-Missouri Unified Strike Team and Narcotics Group).