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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE |
Sept. 15, 2009
DEFENDANT IN OPERATION STONEWALLED SENTENCED TO FEDERAL PRISON FOR DRUG TRAFFICKING
KANSAS CITY, KAN. – Billy Trinkle, 32, Leavenworth, Kan., has been sentenced to 240 months in federal prison for drug trafficking.
In May 2009, a federal jury found Trinkle guilty of one count of conspiracy to distribute crack cocaine and two counts of using a cellular phone in furtherance of drug trafficking.
Trinkle was one of more than 40 defendants in Leavenworth, Atchison, metro Kansas City, and Independence, Mo., who were charged as a result of an investigation federal, state and local investigators called Operation Stonewalled. According to court documents, the conspirators were responsible for selling more than $10.75 million worth of cocaine and crack cocaine.
During a sentencing hearing before U.S. District Judge John W. Lungstrum, prosecutors argued that during a period of more than a year Trinkle purchased distribution quantities of cocaine – as many as four ounces a week – from co-defendant Henry Grigsby, who was one of the associates of the leader of the conspiracy, Monterial Wesley. According to court documents, investigators intercepted 45 phone calls in which Trinkle was engaged in drug trafficking.
Other defendants in U.S. v Humphrey include:
Jamicah Johnson, who was sentenced to 151 months in federal prison.
Michael O. Clark, who was sentenced to 121 months in federal prison.
Kurtz Griffin, who was sentenced to 120 months in federal prison.
Reggie L. Hutchinson, who was sentenced to 120 months in federal prison.
Shannon Perez, who was sentenced to 120 months in federal prison.
Donnie R. Johnson, who was sentenced to 57 months in federal prison.
Sasha E. Gerard, who was sentenced to 36 months in federal prison.
Thomas Humphrey, who is set for sentencing Sept. 21, 2009
James Heags, who is set for sentencing Sept. 21.
Monterial Wesley, who is set for sentencing Sept. 22, 2009.
Shevel Foy, who is set for sentencing Sept. 22, 2009.
Keith McDaniel, who is set for sentencing Sept. 23, 2009.
Latysha D. Temple, who is set for sentencing Sept. 24, 2009.
Harold Wallace, who is set for sentencing Sept. 23, 2009.
Henry Grigsby, who is set for sentencing Oct. 19, 2009.
Vinol Wilson, who is awaiting trial.
Keenan J. Ringgold, who is awaiting sentencing.
Lakela Houff, who is set for sentencing Oct. 10, 2009.
Byron Brown, who is set for sentencing Sept. 21, 2009.
Franklin Goodwin, Jr., who is awaiting sentencing.
Welch commended the Leavenworth Police Department, the Kansas City, Kan., Police Department, the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Federal Bureau of Investigation and Assistant U.S. Attorney Tera Morehead for their work on the case.
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