Twenty-Seven Defendants Indicted in Drug, Homicide and Money Laundering Case in Federal Court in Milwaukee

United States Attorney James L. Santelle announced today that an indictment was unsealed in federal court charging 27 defendants in a poly-drug conspiracy case which also includes homicide, money laundering, and firearms offenses.

The following defendants are charged with conspiracy to distribute controlled substances, including heroin, crack cocaine, marijuana, and five kilograms or more of cocaine: Kevin R. Arms (40), John Bailey (37), Trevan Brown (29), Cecil Arms (70), Timothy Cunningham (44), Maurice Handy (42), Roosevelt Lee (40), Phillip Moffett (32), Brandon Owens (30), Joe Parker (73), Sam Spears (37), Roger Walker (33), and Carl Wilson (41). In addition, John Cleveland (38), Demerius Sholar (28), Ronnie Reid (45), Kyle Carrington (22), and Brandon Trotter (27) are charged with possession with intent to distribute or distribution of controlled substances.

Kevin R. Arms, John Bailey, and Phillip Moffett are charged with causing death by discharge of a firearm. John Cleveland, Roosevelt Lee, Brandon Owens, Roger Walker, Carl Wilson, Kyle Carrington, Brandon Trotter are charged with possession of firearms in furtherance of drug-trafficking offenses.

Kevin R. Arms, Cecil Arms, Kevin C. Arms (21), Shenese Arms (33), Shenita Arms-Nicholas (33), and Tremell Nicholas (34) are charged with money laundering offenses.

Malik Danun (28) is charged with obstruction of justice. Ricky Shaw (38) and Patricia Arms (65) are both charged with misprision of a felony. Katilia Jackson (26) and Brenda Arms (55) are both charged with maintaining a drug-involved premises. All of the defendants currently reside in Milwaukee, except for Kevin R. Arms (Pewaukee), Ricky Shaw (Atlanta, GA) and Malik Danun (Atlanta, GA).

Today, law enforcement officers arrested 18 of these defendants. Three were already in custody. Six are still at large, including: Trevan Brown, John Cleveland, Ronnie Reid, Demerius Scholar, Sam Spears, and Roger Walker. In addition, law enforcement executed eight search warrants and recovered 31 firearms and approximately $143,000.

The defendants were charged based on a multi-year investigation by law enforcement officers from the U.S. Department of Justice, Drug Enforcement Administration, the Milwaukee Police Department, the Wisconsin Department of Revenue, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, assisted by the Wisconsin Department of Justice- Division of Criminal Investigations, and the Milwaukee High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area (HIDTA) Heroin Task Force.

Law enforcement agencies assisting with today’s arrests include the U.S. Marshals Service, Waukesha Metro Drug Unit, and the Milwaukee County Sheriff’s Department.

The drug conspiracy and firearms offenses are all punishable by up to life in prison. The other offenses have lower maximum penalties, including: money laundering (20 years); maintaining a drug involved premises (20 years); possession with intent to distribute or distribution of controlled substances (20 years); obstruction of justice (20 years); and misprision of a felony (3 years).

This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Erica O’Neil and Brian Resler.

An indictment is merely the formal method of charging an individual and does not constitute inference of his or her guilt. An individual is presumed innocent until such time, if ever, that the government establishes his or her guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.