 |
Department of Justice United States Attorney Julia C. Dudley Western District of Virginia |
|---|
CONTACT: Brian McGinn PHONE: 540-857-2974 FAX: 540-857-2179 EMAIL: Brian.McGinn@usdoj.gov www.usdoj.gov/usao/vaw |
PRESIDENT OF KANTSTOP RECORDS SENTENCED TO LIFE
Derrick Evans Played A Major Role In Crack Cocaine Operation
ABINGDON, VIRGINIA -- One of the leaders of a large scale drug trafficking organization that operated in Southwest Virginia and Northeast Tennessee will spend the rest of his life in prison after being sentenced for his role in the conspiracy last Friday in U.S. District Court.
Derrick Lamont Evans, 36, of Blountville, TN, received a life sentenced last week for his role as the head of a crack cocaine distribution conspiracy. He previously pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute 50 grams or more of crack cocaine.
According to evidence presented by Assistant United States Attorney Zachary Lee at various court hearings, in 2007 law enforcement agents from multiple agencies began targeting a large scale crack cocaine distribution organization operating in Southwest Virginia, Northeast Tennessee and North Carolina. The conspiracy was headed by Evans, Oedipus Mumphrey and Kerry Donnell Lee, and had been operating in the region since at least 2003. The drug trafficking organization was originally organized by members of KANTSTOP RECORDS, Inc., a music production company based in Burlington, North Carolina.
KANTSTOP RECORDS was incorporated in Tennessee by Evans, and Bryant Kelly Pride. Evans was listed as the President and Pride was listed as the Executive Vice President/Chief Executive Officer. The record label sponsored the musicians Marcus Andrew Watkins, a.k.a. “Sparkz”, Andre Lamont Watkins, a.k.a. “Huff da Author” and Tyree Lamar Slade, a.k.a. “Ovious McFly.” Together, these artists formed the group “Fam 1st.”
Evidence demonstrated that the members of KANTSTOP RECORDS had been distributing crack cocaine in the Bristol area since at least 2003 and consistently recruited friends and associates from Burlington, North Carolina to assist with the transportation and distribution of the drug. In addition, many individuals from Virginia and Tennessee were recruited by Pride, Evans, Mumphrey and others to be street level dealers of crack cocaine, drivers to transport crack cocaine and to provide houses at which cocaine powder could be made into crack cocaine.
Throughout the course of the investigation more than $25,000 in United States currency, numerous vehicles, firearms and multiple ounces of cocaine and crack cocaine have been seized by law enforcement. To date, fifty members of the drug trafficking organization have either pleaded guilty or been convicted at trial. In total, the defendants have been sentenced to more than 300 years imprisonment, with two defendants receiving life sentences. Seven defendants indicted for their roles in the conspiracy still await sentencing.
The investigation of the case was conducted by the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation, the Bristol Tennessee Police Department, the Bristol Virginia Police Department, the Sullivan County Sheriff’s Department, the Abingdon Police Department, the Washington County, Virginia Sheriff’s Department, the Virginia State Police, the Johnson City Police Department and the 2nd Judicial District Drug Task Force. The investigation was assisted by the Sullivan County District Attorney’s Office, the Washington County Commonwealth Attorney’s Office, the City of Bristol Commonwealth Attorney’s Office and the United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Tennessee. Assistant United States Attorney Zachary T. Lee of the United States Attorney’s Office in Abingdon is prosecuting the case for the United States.