Press Release
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Date: February 9, 2007
Contact : Sue McKinney
DEFENDANTS CROCKETT AND WALKER SENTENCED
United States Attorney Maxwell Wood, Middle District of Georgia, announces the sentencings of Willie Crockett of Bainbridge, Georgia and Rico Walker of Coolidge, Georgia. Both defendants were sentenced by the Honorable W. Louis Sands, United States District Judge for the Middle District of Georgia on Thursday February 8, 2007 in Albany, Georgia.
Willie Crockett entered a guilty plea to one count of Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 922(g). In his plea agreement, Crockett stipulated that law enforcement officers in Bainbridge, Georgia received information from the defendant’s parole officer that Crockett was wanted in Florida for new violent crimes which constituted violations of his parole and that he might be in possession of a firearm or stolen property. A warrant as well as a possible location for the defendant was issued and the next day the defendant was spotted in a stolen vehicle. After stopping the vehicle the defendant took flight on foot and was located at his residence. The owner of the vehicle assisted the officers in conducting an inventory of the vehicle which revealed six .38 caliber bullets, a Jackson County Deputy Sheriff’s Badge and a Rohm .38 Caliber Handgun. The defendant later stated that he was in possession of the gun for personal protection purposes. Officers with Bainbridge Police also discovered at the Defendant’s residence a Davis Industries, Model P-380, .380 caliber pistol with an obliterated serial number. The defendant had previously been convicted in Florida of Armed Robbery and Kidnaping and the defendant further admits that said conviction is a crime of violence under the Application Note 1 of the Commentary. Crockett was sentenced to 46 months incarceration (consecutive to his parole violation sentence, which terminates in 2013), 3 years supervised release and $100.00 mandatory assessment fee The case was investigated by Special Agent Kathryn Reed, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Leah E. McEwen.
Rico Rechae Walker entered a plea of guilty to Possession with Intent to Distribute in Excess of Five Grams of Cocaine Base aka Crack Cocaine in violation of 21 U.S.C. § 841(a)(1) and § 841(b)(1)(B)(iii). Walker’s plea agreement stipulated that he was selling illegal drugs in the Pelham, Georgia area. With the aid of a confidential source law enforcement officers negotiated by phone a purchase for illegal drugs and the defendant sold the source 47.5 grams of crack cocaine. Walker was sentenced to 64 months incarceration, 4 years supervised release and $100 mandatory assessment fee. The case was investigated by Special Agent Jim Brown, Drug Enforcement Administration and was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Jason Ferguson.
For further information, contact Sue McKinney, Public Affairs Specialist, United States Attorney’s Office, at (478) 621-2602.
