KC Woman Sentenced to 27 Years for Leading Meth, Heroin Conspiracy

KANSAS CITY, Mo. – A Kansas City, Mo., woman was sentenced in federal court today for leading a conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine and heroin.

Evelyn L. Cooper, 46, of Kansas City, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Gary A. Fenner to 27 years and six months in federal prison without parole.

On Dec. 21, 2017, Cooper pleaded guilty to leading a conspiracy to distribute more than 500 grams of methamphetamine and some amount of heroin from October 2015 until her arrest on Sept. 28, 2016.

Undercover officers from the Kansas City, Mo., Police Department and confidential informants working at the direction of law enforcement purchased methamphetamine and heroin from Cooper, as well as her co-defendant and boyfriend, Theodis D. Johnson, 42, of Kansas City, Mo., on several occasions in 2015 and 2016. 

Law enforcement officers executed a search warrant at Cooper’s residence on Aug. 1, 2016, and recovered approximately 76.5 grams of methamphetamine and approximately 17 grams of heroin. On Sept. 14, 2016, law enforcement applied for and obtained a search warrant for Cooper’s Facebook account. Officers were able to estimate, conservatively, that 200 grams of methamphetamine was trafficked through Cooper’s account.

When Cooper and Johnson were arrested, Johnson was in possession of a loaded Taurus .380-caliber semi-automatic pistol.

Johnson pleaded guilty to his role in the conspiracy and was sentenced on May 1, 2018, to 20 years in federal prison without parole. Co-defendant Erin R. Markley, 36, of Kansas City, Mo., pleaded guilty to her role in the conspiracy and was sentenced on Jan. 16, 2018, to six years in federal prison without parole.

This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Brad K. Kavanaugh. It was investigated by the Kansas City, Mo., Police Department.