NEWS RELEASE
OFFICE OF THE UNITED STATES ATTORNEY
WESTERN DISTRICT OF MISSOURI
BETH PHILLIPS
Contact Don Ledford, Public Affairs ● (816) 426-4220 ● 400 East Ninth Street, Room 5510 ● Kansas City, MO 64106
www.justice.gov/index.html
JUNE 10, 2010
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
TWENTY-THREE DEFENDANTS INDICTED FOR
COCAINE, CRACK COCAINE CONSPIRACY
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – Beth Phillips, United States Attorney for the Western District of Missouri, announced today that 23 defendants have been indicted by a federal grand jury for participating in a large-scale conspiracy to distribute cocaine and crack cocaine.
“We have dismantled a major drug trafficking organization,” said Phillips. “The Kansas City Police Department and the Federal Bureau of Investigation initiated an intensive investigation more than a year ago. U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives joined the investigation in October 2009. These local and federal agencies have worked closely together in a partnership that culminated in this week’s arrests. The Department of Justice is committed to disrupting the flow of drugs nationwide, and we are working closely with our law enforcement partners to combat drug trafficking in our community.”
“Working with our federal partners, Kansas City police have helped cut off a major pipeline of narcotics to the metropolitan area,” said Kansas City Police Chief James Corwin. “This is one of the largest investigations of its kind that the Kansas City Police Department has ever engaged in, and it’s a good example of the major impact we can have on narcotics trafficking and the crime that surrounds it when we join forces.”
“These are significant arrests that dismantled a suspected cocaine trafficking conspiracy in the Kansas City area,” said Gary Hartwig, ICE special agent-in-charge in Chicago. “This is an excellent example of teamwork among local and federal law enforcement. ICE works aggressively to keep illegal drugs out of our communities, and to dismantle the criminal networks that profit from narcotics trafficking.” Hartwig oversees a six-state area that includes Missouri and Kansas.
Shawn R. Hampton, also known as “Smoke,” 34, of Raytown, Mo., Delbert Roberson, also known as “Del,” 31, Naricco Scott, also known as “Rico,” 28, Calah Johnson, also known as “Green Eyes,” 29, John L. Hooker, also known as “Ace,” 22, Gregory P. Young, also known as “Chan,” 37, Ronnell A. Brown, 38, Theodore S. Wiggins, also known as “Theo,” 29, Antar H. Roberts, also known as “Saw,” 36, Marcus L. Gay, 36, Andreya Jones, 28, Justin J. Campbell, also known as “Shaw,” 30, Dorothea L. Cain, also known as “Dea,” 38, Keiyatie R. White, 20, Jason R. Carter, also known as “J-Roc,” 23, Mylin D. Smith, also known as “G,” 26, Sterling F. Byndom, 24, Adrian U. Barrett, 34, Ray A. Johnson, 31, all of Kansas City, Mo., Ricardo Nevarez, 28, Alfonso Velo, 45, and Alejandro Holguin-Bonilla, also known as “Alex,” 22, all of Kansas City, Kan., and Brice C. Hale, 37, of St. Louis, Mo., were charged in a 17-count indictment returned under seal by a federal grand jury in Kansas City, Mo., on May 26, 2010. That indictment was unsealed and made public upon the arrests and initial court appearances of several defendants.
Hooker, although named as a defendant, was discovered murdered along with his brother the day after the indictment was returned. Their bodies were found in a shopping cart behind a vacant lot near 45th Street and Askew in Kansas City, Mo., on May 27, 2010.
The federal indictment alleges that all 23 defendants participated in a conspiracy to distribute five kilograms or more of cocaine and 50 grams or more of crack cocaine since July 1, 2009.
In addition to the drug-trafficking conspiracy, Hampton is charged with one count of distributing 500 grams or more of cocaine and three counts of distributing five grams or more of crack cocaine. Roberson is also charged with three counts of distributing five grams or more of crack cocaine. Scott is also charged with two counts of distributing crack cocaine, one count of possessing crack cocaine with the intent to distribute and one count of possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug-trafficking crime. White is also charged with two counts of distributing crack cocaine. Wiggins and Carter are each charged with one count of distributing crack cocaine.
The federal indictment also charges Johnson with being a felon in possession of a firearm. The indictment alleges that Johnson, who has a felony conviction, was in possession of a Glock .40-caliber pistol on March 7, 2010.
Phillips cautioned that the charges contained in this indictment are simply accusations, and not evidence of guilt. Evidence supporting the charges must be presented to a federal trial jury, whose duty is to determine guilt or innocence.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Brent Venneman. It was investigated by the Kansas City, Mo., Police Department, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.
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