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Press Release

Heroin Dealer Sentenced to 120 Months in Federal Prison for Possession of Heroin with Intent to Distribute

For Immediate Release
U.S. Attorney's Office, Western District of Tennessee

 

Memphis, TN – A Memphis man has been sentenced to ten years in federal prison for possession of heroin with intent to distribute. D. Michael Dunavant, United States Attorney for the Western District of Tennessee announced the sentence today.

According to information presented in court, in February 2016, the Organized Crime Unit of the Memphis Police Department initiated an investigation into the illegal drug trafficking of Jerrico Long, 31, a/k/a "Lil Rico." The investigation revealed that Long was selling heroin in various areas of Memphis. In June 2016, detectives on the case orchestrated three controlled drug purchases from Long using a confidential source during which they recovered heroin.

U.S. Attorney Dunavant said, "The U.S. Attorney’s Office has development a district-specific strategy to address the opioid abuse and overdose epidemic by prioritizing cases involving the distribution of heroin. Drug dealers who sell this deadly poison in West Tennessee will be held accountable. We gave ‘Lil Rico’ a big sentence that will remove him from our streets and make Memphis a safer place."

On September 27, 2018, U.S. District Court Judge Sheryl H. Lipman sentenced Long to 120 months imprisonment followed by 3 years of supervised release.

The Organized Crime Unit of the Memphis Police Department and the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation investigated this case.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Raney Irwin prosecuted this case on the government’s behalf.

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Updated October 1, 2018