Aug. 29 , 2006

 

LAWRENCE MAN SAYS HE WAS A COURIER
FOR CRACK COCAINE TRAFFICKING RING

KANSAS CITY, KAN. – A Lawrence man pleaded guilty Monday to working as a low level courier in a crack cocaine trafficking ring that operated in Lawrence.

James William Beltch, 37, Lawrence, pleaded guilty to one count of possession with intent to distribute crack cocaine. He entered the plea during a hearing before U.S. District Judge Carlos Murguia.

In his plea, Beltch admitted that he took part in a drug trafficking conspiracy that took place in Lawrence from March 2004 through April 2006. Others involved in the conspiracy, he said, were co-defendants Don Marcus Gibler, Aharlock Fixico, Branden Scott Walker, Carl Ray Roubison, Ryan Ezell Fowler, Lonnie Ray Teichmann, John Burke Holt, and Ryan Lavelle Green.

Gibler, Fixico and Walker obtained ounces of cocaine or cocaine base, which they subsequently distributed themselves or used others including Roubison, Fowler, Teichmann, Green and Beltch to handle distribution. Roubison, Teichmann and Holt allowed Gibler, Fixico and Walker to use their residences to manufacture and distribute crack. Teichmann, Holt and Beltch allowed their residences to be used for drug trafficking or made deliveries of crack cocaine in return for personal use quantities of crack cocaine.
In one instance, Beltch was driving a vehicle that was stopped June 19, 2005, for a traffic violation. Gibler was a passenger in the car. During a search, an officer found a cigarette pack with a plastic bag containing crack. Beltch told officers that Gibler had given him the cigarette pack containing crack and that he was to hold it for Gibber while they made deliveries. Belch also admitted taking Gibler to Kansas City on a number of occasions to obtain cocaine and crack.

Belch is scheduled for sentencing Nov. 20. He faces a penalty of not less than 10 years and not more than life in federal prison and a fine up to $4 million. The other defendants are awaiting trial.

Melgren commended the Drug Enforcement Administration, and the city-county Drug Enforcement Unit, comprising officers from the Lawrence Police Department and the Douglas County Sheriff’s Office, which investigated the case, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Scott Rask, who is prosecuting.

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