21 KC-area Men Indicted for Distributing Cocaine, Crack Cocaine

 

KANSAS CITY, Mo. – Tammy Dickinson, United States Attorney for the Western District of Missouri, announced today that 21 Kansas City, Mo., area men have been indicted by a federal grand jury, in a series of separate, but related, indictments for distributing cocaine and crack cocaine in Jackson County, Mo.

Law enforcement officers arrested 12 defendants in an operation today. During the course of the investigation, officers seized more than five kilograms of cocaine, approximately $200,000 and six firearms.

Three indictments were returned under seal by a federal grand jury in Kansas City, Mo., on Wednesday, March 19, 2014. The federal indictments were unsealed and made public today upon the arrests and initial court appearances of the defendants.

USA v. Piggie, et al

Frenklyn Piggie, 36, Olufemi Siffre, 36, James Caldwell, 36, Kidada Clayborn, also known as “Goldie,” 36, Robert Clark, 33, Frederick D. Clark, 20, David Ramsey, 52, Dawawn Orr, 33, Nathaniel Morris, 43, Kenneth Harvey, 27, Ronnie Prewitt, 32, Ryan Wilson, 34, Dennis Griffin, 55, Brian Whitley, 36, Maurice L. Campbell, 48, Leon Lee, also known as “JJ,” 33, Jerome L. Barnes, 33, all of Kansas City, Mo.; DeMichael Johnson, also known as “Shaq,” 35, of Raytown, Mo.; and Jesus Frye-Santoyo, 28, of Kansas City, Kan., were charged in a 43-count indictment returned under seal by a federal grand jury in Kansas City, Mo., on Wednesday, March 19, 2014.

The federal indictment alleges that all of the defendants participated in a conspiracy to distribute five kilograms or more of cocaine and crack cocaine in Jackson County from Jan. 1, 2013, to March 19, 2014.

In addition to the conspiracy, Piggie and Frye-Santoyo are charged together in one count of possessing five kilograms or more of cocaine with the intent to distribute. Other defendants are also charged in various counts related to distributing cocaine and crack cocaine.

Piggie is also charged with one count of possessing a firearm in furtherance of drug-trafficking crimes and one count of being a felon in possession of a firearm. Frederick Clark is also charged with one count of possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug-trafficking crime.

USA v. Bell

Terrell Bell, 29, of Raytown, Mo., is charged with one count of participating in a conspiracy to distribute cocaine and crack cocaine from Sept. 1 to Dec. 1, 2013. Bell is also charged with two counts of distributing crack cocaine.

USA v. Reed

Monroe E. Reed, 34, of Kansas City, Mo., is charged with seven counts of distributing crack cocaine and two counts of possessing crack cocaine with the intent to distribute.

Reed is also charged with possessing firearms in furtherance of drug-trafficking crimes. Reed allegedly was in possession of an S & W .22-caliber rifle, a Century Arms 7.62-caliber rifle, a Hi-Point .45-caliber rifle, a Bersa .38-caliber pistol, an Armi Tanfoglio .25-caliber pistol and a Lorcin .380-caliber pistol on Oct. 30, 2012.

Dickinson cautioned that the charges contained in these indictments 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.

These cases are being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Brent Venneman. They were investigated by the FBI, the Kansas City, Mo., Police Department and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement's (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI).