Five Columbia Men Indicted for Heroin Trafficking

 

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. – Tammy Dickinson, United States Attorney for the Western District of Missouri, announced that five Columbia, Mo., men have been indicted, in three separate cases, on charges related to distributing heroin.

All of the defendants were charged in a series of indictments returned by a federal grand jury in Jefferson City on Thursday, Nov. 7, 2013.

USA v. Smith

Ravid Donald Smith, 49, Lemont Michael Livingston, 26, and Clifford Andrew Lake, 53, all of Columbia, were charged with one count of participating in a conspiracy to distribute 100 grams or more of heroin from Sept. 24 to Oct. 28, 2013.

The indictment replaces a federal criminal complaint that was filed against the defendants on Oct. 29, 2013. According to an affidavit filed in support of the complaint, police officers received information that Livingston acquired large quantities of heroin in St. Louis, Mo., and, along with Lake and Smith, distributed the heroin in the Columbia area.

On Oct. 28, 2013, the affidavit says, law enforcement officers received information that Livingston was returning from Chicago with a shipment of heroin. When Livingston arrived at his residence, where officers had conducted a controlled buy of $150 worth of heroin about a month earlier, he was immediately detained. A bag containing 200 grams of heroin was recovered from a backpack inside the BMW X5 driven by Livingston. Officers executed a search warrant at Livingston’s residence and found a stolen handgun, products known to be cutting agents for heroin and a drug ledger. Lake was present in the residence when officers served the warrant, and was also arrested.

After learning that Smith had returned to Columbia with a heroin shipment, the affidavit says, law enforcement officers used a cooperating source to make a controlled buy of heroin from him on the same day, and Smith was arrested.

This case is being prosecuted by Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Steven R. Berry. It was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Columbia, Mo., Police Department.

USA v. Anderson

Markielle Avion Anderson, 26, of Columbia, was charged with one count of possessing heroin with the intent to distribute and one count of being a felon in possession of a firearm.

The indictment replaces a federal criminal complaint that was filed against Anderson on Oct. 8, 2013. According to an affidavit filed in support of the complaint, law enforcement officers used a cooperating source to conduct a controlled drug transaction on Oct. 7, 2013. When Anderson arrived, the affidavit says, he was arrested. Approximately 10 grams of heroin and a loaded Davis .380-caliber handgun were seized from Anderson’s vehicle.

Under federal law, it is illegal for anyone who has been convicted of a felony to be in possession of any firearm or ammunition. Anderson has two prior felony convictions for driving with a revoked license.

This case is being prosecuted by Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Steven R. Berry. It was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Mid-Missouri Drug Task Force, the Columbia, Mo., Police Department and the Jefferson City, Mo., Police Department.

USA v. Nesbitt

Laron Christopher Nesbitt, Jr., 19, of Calumet City, Ill., was charged with one count of possessing heroin with the intent to distribute.

The indictment replaces a federal criminal complaint that was filed against Nesbitt on Oct. 8, 2013. According to an affidavit filed in support of the complaint, law enforcement officers used a cooperating source to conduct a controlled drug transaction on Oct. 7, 2013. Officers arrested Nesbitt, whom the affidavit says had 12 grams of heroin in his pocket.

This case is being prosecuted by Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Steven R. Berry. It was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Mid-Missouri Drug Task Force, the Columbia, Mo., Police Department and the Jefferson City, Mo., Police Department.

Dickinson 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.