Leader of the Jenifer Drug Trafficking Organization Pleads Guilty

Baltimore, Maryland – The leader of the Jenifer drug trafficking organization (Jenifer DTO), Kedrick Arnold Jenifer, a/k/a “Ricky Jenifer,” “James Howard Collier, Jr.” and “Rick,” age 44, of Bowie, Maryland, pleaded guilty today to conspiring to distribute cocaine.

The guilty plea was announced by United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Rod J. Rosenstein; Assistant Special Agent in Charge Don A. Hibbert of the Drug Enforcement Administration, Baltimore District Office; Special Agent in Charge Thomas Jankowski of the Internal Revenue Service - Criminal Investigation, Washington, D.C. Field Office; Commissioner Kevin Davis of the Baltimore Police Department; and Chief James W. Johnson of the Baltimore County Police Department.

“IRS Criminal Investigation is committed to its joint efforts with its local and federal law enforcement partners to ensure that drug trafficking organizations such as the Jenifer DTO are not successful in their illegal drug activities conducted in communities across the country,” said Thomas Jankowski, IRS Criminal Investigation Special Agent in Charge, Washington DC Field Office.

According to his plea agreement and court documents, from September 2012 until his arrest in October 2014, Kedrick Jenifer was the head of the drug organization.  He directed the collection and transportation of money from Baltimore to Houston, Texas. The Jenifer DTO would hide money in secret compartments in “courier vehicles” that were transported from Baltimore to Houston.  Jenifer would then fly to Houston and obtain kilograms of cocaine from a source of supply.  The cocaine was transported from Houston to Baltimore in the courier vehicles, and Jenifer would return to Baltimore via commercial air carrier.

In September 2012, Texas State Police stopped a courier vehicle in Chambers County, Texas.  Law enforcement officers discovered approximately 30 kilograms of cocaine hidden in secret compartments within the vehicle.  Phone records reveal that one of the persons in the courier vehicle was in contact with Jenifer prior to, the day of, and after the car stop.

In July 2013, a courier vehicle loaded on a car-carrier at Jenifer’s direction was intercepted in Arkansas.  The vehicle contained approximately 23 kilograms of cocaine hidden in a secret compartment.

Between August 2013 and October 2014, Jenifer directed approximately 30 shipments of cocaine concealed in secret compartments in the courier vehicles. After a courier vehicle would return to Baltimore from Houston, Jenifer was seen operating the hidden compartments in the courier vehicle and supplying other members of the Jenifer DTO with cocaine at their distribution location at RCH Plaza in west Baltimore.

Jenifer and/or another member of the Jenifer DTO also made approximately 16 trips to Woodbridge, Virginia to deliver kilograms of cocaine to co-defendant Thomas Simmons.

On October 9, 2014, approximately 27 kilograms of cocaine were seized from one of the Jenifer DTO’s courier vehicles.

Jenifer agreed that he was responsible for the distribution of no less than 450 kilograms of cocaine between August 2013 and October 2014.

According to previously filed court documents, Jenifer owns World Fed Apparel, Inc., a clothing store in Baltimore.  Jenifer is also a co-owner of Flavor Factory, LLC, which is believed to own an ice cream franchise in Baltimore. At the time of Jenifer’s arrest, the government seized, among other things, a 2013 Rolls Royce Ghost valued at $296,000, a 2014 Ferrari 458 Italia valued at $271,000, other high-end vehicles owned by Jenifer, and large sums of money from his residence and other locations.

Jenifer and the government have agreed that if the Court accepts the plea agreement, Jenifer will be sentenced to 20 years in prison. Jenifer has also agreed to the entry of an order requiring him to forfeit three properties in Baltimore and one in North Miami, Florida, as well as a boat.  U.S. District Judge Richard D. Bennett scheduled sentencing for January 26, 2016 at 10:00 a.m.

Co-conspirators Brooke Renee Lunn, a/k/a “Brooke Thomas” and “Brooke Renee,” age 49; William Hegie, age 55; Kermit Clark, age 45; and Elroy Johnson, age 49, all of Baltimore, and Thomas Simmons, age 38, of Hampton, Virginia, previously pleaded guilty to their participation in the conspiracy.  Each were sentenced to 10 years in prison except Lunn, who was sentenced to 12 years in prison.

United States Attorney Rod J. Rosenstein praised the DEA, IRS Criminal Investigation and Baltimore City and County Police Departments for their work in the investigation, and expressed his appreciation to the United States Attorney’s Offices for the Southern District of Texas and the Southern District of New York for their assistance.  Mr. Rosenstein thanked Assistant United States Attorney John W. Sippel, Jr. and Special Assistant United States Attorney Matthew Hoff, a cross-designated Baltimore City Assistant State’s Attorney, who are prosecuting this Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force case.