Lead Defendant In Blytheville Drug Conspiracy, Kenneth Brown, II, Is Sentenced To 151 Months

LITTLE ROCK – Christopher R. Thyer, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Arkansas, and Gregory Gant, Special Agent in Charge of the Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF) Kansas City Field Division, announced today the conclusion of a three-year case involving the large-scale distribution of methamphetamine in Blytheville, Ark. United States District Court Judge J. Leon Holmes today sentenced Kenneth Brown, II, aka “Iceman,” the lead defendant in a 11-defendant indictment, to 151 months imprisonment for his role as the leader of the drug conspiracy. Brown, II, age 29, of Blytheville, is the final defendant to be sentenced in the case, which was comprised of 11 Blytheville defendants indicted by a federal grand jury on March 6, 2013, in Case No. 4:13-cr-00068 JLH.

Brown, II, was the lead defendant in the original 53-count indictment that involved a drug trafficking organization responsible for selling hundreds of pounds of methamphetamine. He pleaded guilty on December 1, 2014, to a superseding indictment charging him in nine drug or firearms counts. There is no parole in the federal system. Brown, II’s, sentence also includes five years of supervised release and the forfeiture of multiple firearms, and $7,530 in drug proceeds. Brown, II, entered into a plea agreement with the United States in which he pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine, with enhancements for using a firearm in connection with the offense and maintaining a drug premises. The United States dismissed the remaining eight counts of the superseding indictment.

“The commitment this office has made to eradicating drug trafficking and violent crime in Northeast Arkansas and the entire Arkansas Delta has never wavered,” Thyer said. “The citizens of Blytheville will not have to deal with these 11 individuals, who were bringing drugs, guns, and violence into the community, for many years. Kenneth Brown, II, in particular, was responsible for importing many kilograms of methamphetamine into Northeast Arkansas, and today’s sentence is the end result of that behavior. Let the sentences in this case be a warning: If you traffic in guns or drugs, you will serve time in prison.”

All members of the conspiracy pleaded guilty pursuant to plea agreements, and most were sentenced in April 2014. Renaldre Jackson was sentenced in September 2014. The other sentences in this case include:

• Tyrone McCray, 200 months, for possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine and felon in possession of a firearm (also qualified as a career offender under United States Sentencing Guideline § 4B1.1)

• Andre Robinson, 151 months, distribution of methamphetamine (also qualified as a career offender)

• Derrick Rhodes, 151 months, distribution of methamphetamine (also qualified as a career offender)

• Renaldre Jackson, 120 months, conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine

• Tremayne Brown, 120 months, conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine

• Kenneth Brown, Sr., 120 months, distribution of methamphetamine

• Brian Robinson, 120 months, possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine and possessing a firearm in connection with a drug-trafficking crime

• Bobby Knight, 72 months, possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine and possessing a firearm in connection with a drug-trafficking crime

• Issac Black, 60 months, possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine

• Rashead Staton, 60 months, distribution of methamphetamine

The investigation into Brown, II’s, organization, which included his father, Brown, Sr., brother, Tremayne Brown, and cousins Knight and McCray, began in early 2012. During the course of the investigation more than 15 controlled purchases of methamphetamine were made from members of the conspiracy resulting in the seizure of more than one kilogram of methamphetamine from these controlled purchases. Including other seizures during the execution of search warrants and traffic stops, approximately 1.7 kilograms of methamphetamine was recovered by law enforcement from this organization.

On January 18, 2013, law enforcement agents executed a search warrant at 1305 Dogwood, Blytheville, Ark., a drug stash house used by Brown, II, and others. Inside the home agents located Brown, II, in a bedroom that contained multiple firearms, 228.5 grams of methamphetamine and 26 pounds of marijuana. In Brown, II’s, pocket was a drug ledger that detailed more than $100,000 in drug debts owed to him.

The investigation was conducted by ATF, in partnership with the 2nd Judicial Drug Task Force, which includes officers from the Blytheville Police Department, the Osceola Police Department and the Mississippi County Sheriff’s Office.