Three More Evansville Cocaine Traffickers Sentenced

Timothy M. Morrison, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Indiana, announced that DAMAND MATTHEWS, 28, Chicago, Illinois was sentenced to life imprisonment; TANISHA WEST, 28, Evansville, Indiana, was sentenced to 121 months imprisonment, and STANLEY MAURICE PIKE, 29, Evansville, Indiana was sentenced to 120 months imprisonment late Tuesday by U.S. District Judge Richard L. Young for their roles in a conspiracy to distribute crack cocaine and powder cocaine. MATTHEWS and WEST were convicted following a jury trial and PIKE pled guilty. This case was the result of an investigation by the Drug Enforcement Administration, Federal Bureau of Investigation, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms, and the Evansville Police Department.

In early 2007, the Drug Enforcement Administration and FBI Safe Streets Task Force received information from multiple sources that a group of individuals were distributing large amounts of crack cocaine in Evansville. The investigation culminated with the indictment of 26 individuals and the execution of 14 search warrants which yielded cash, multiple firearms, including an assault pistol, and various amounts of controlled substances, including crack cocaine. MATTHEWS coordinated the transportation of cocaine from Chicago to Evansville, WEST transported cocaine from Chicago to Evansville, and PIKE served as a mid-level crack cocaine dealer in Evansville. MATTHEWS was sentenced to life imprisonment, WEST was sentenced to 121 months’ imprisonment, and PIKE was sentenced to 120 months’ imprisonment. Four other defendants in this conspiracy received life sentences on March 13 and March 16.

According to Assistant U. S. Attorney Bradley A. Blackington who prosecuted these cases, the following agencies also assisted in the investigation: the United States Marshal Service, the Evansville Vanderburgh County Drug Task Force, the Vanderburgh County Sheriff’s Department, and the Indiana State Police.