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Department of Justice United States Attorney David L. Huber Contact: Sandy Focken |
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April 30, 2008
LEADER OF THE OWENSBORO D-BLOCK CRACK COCAINE CONSPIRACY SENTENCED ALONG WITH ONE OTHER
– James Calhoun, a/k/a “Jim Cat”, sentenced to 12 years
– Antoni Wimsatt, a/k/a “Cheese, sentenced to 5 years
OWENSBORO, KY - James Calhoun, a/k/a “Jim Cat”, age 28, of Owensboro, Kentucky, and Antoni Wimsatt, a/k/a “Cheese, age 27, of Owensboro, Kentucky, were each sentenced for their involvement with the “D-Block” crack cocaine conspiracy indictment that was filed on August 22, 2007, U.S. Attorney David L. Huber of the Western District of Kentucky announced today.
Specifically, United States District Judge Joseph H. McKinley, Jr. , sentenced James Calhoun to 12 years, and Antoni Wimsatt to 5 years. Judge McKinley also sentenced Calhoun to 5 years supervised release and Wimsatt to 4 years of supervised release. There is no parole in the federal judicial system.
In December 2007, both defendants plead guilty to the charges stemming from the August 22, 2007, indictment which charged 14 total defendants. The facts contained in the plea agreements revealed that in 2006, law enforcement officers from the Owensboro Police Department, the Kentucky State Police, and the Drug Enforcement Administration were investigating a group of drug traffickers, known as D-Block, located in Owensboro, Kentucky. D-Block, which stands for “Drug Block,” refers to a geographic area controlled by a loose knit street gang located in Owensboro between West 8th and 9th Streets and in the vicinity of Pennbrooke Avenue. Eight other co-defendants sentenced to a total of 33 years previously.
Throughout this period of time, members of D-Block and other individuals associated with D-Block, conspired to sell quantities of base cocaine, otherwise known as "crack cocaine," within the community of Owensboro, Kentucky. During the investigation, law enforcement agents learned that Calhoun was the defacto leader of the D-Block organization who directed the drug activities of other members. Wimsatt participated in this conspiracy by selling various quantities of crack cocaine. On August 23, 2007, each of these defendants were arrested in a major take-down conducted by the Owensboro Police Department, the Kentucky State Police, and the DEA. Co-defendants Chance Morton, pled guilty on January 31, 2008 and Dewayne Hall pled guilty on January 31, 2008. Morton and Hall are scheduled to be sentenced on May 16, 2008, at 9:00 a.m. Co-defendant Troy Anderson plead guilty on March 6, 2008, and is scheduled to be sentenced on May 29, 2008, at 9:00 a.m.
On April 25, 2008, three co-defendants were sentenced: Desmond Morton was sentenced to 5 years; Damien Thruston was sentenced to3 years and 5 months; and Mario Palmer was sentenced to 2 years. On March 27, 2008, five co-defendants were sentenced: William Johnson, a/k/a “D-Buck,” was sentenced to 5 years 10 months; Jonathan Howard, a/k/a “240," was sentenced to 5 years; John Leak, a/k/a “Bunks,” was sentenced to 5 years; Montae Goodnight was sentenced to 5 years; and Jaime Payne was sentenced to 2 years 6 months.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Daniel P. Kinnicutt, and it was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Owensboro Police Department, and the Kentucky State Police.
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