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Fifteen Charged in Federal Court for Their Roles in Drug Conspiracy
Seven Search Warrants Served in West Tennessee and 11 Defendants Taken into Custody

U.S. Attorney’s Office August 21, 2009
  • Western District of Tennessee (901) 544-4231

JACKSON, TN—Three separate but related indictments were unsealed today in federal court, charging 15 defendants with conspiracy  to distribute in excess of 1000 kilograms of marijuana and over 200 grams of cocaine/crack cocaine, in violation of Title 21, USC Section 812, 841, and 846 announced Lawrence J. Laurenzi, United States Attorney for the Western District of Tennessee and Keith Brown, Resident Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA). Seven search warrants were served yesterday in Haywood, Hardeman, and Madison Counties. Items seized subsequent to the searches included: 25 pounds of marijuana, ½ kilogram of powder cocaine, three ounces of crack cocaine, 300 hydrocodone pills, 43 vehicles, 25 firearms, and approximately $50,000.00 in cash.

One indictment charges 12 defendants with participating in certain drug trafficking ventures, playing certain roles in the conspiracy, taking it upon themselves to perform different tasks and participating in the conduct of the organization through various criminal acts. These defendants allegedly negotiated to purchase large quantities of marijuana from other parts of Tennessee and received deliveries from Texas. The indictment further alleges that the defendants would then use “stash houses” to store the marijuana until such time as they could distribute it. This indictment further notes that  three of the defendants would conspire together to launder the proceeds of the sale of the marijuana by purchasing various personal properties and vehicles. The government is also seeking forfeiture of the properties, vehicles, and currency alleged to have been obtained from the illegal activity.

A second and third indictment charges three defendants with possessing cocaine or crack cocaine and conspiring to develop a market for distribution and then intending to distribute that cocaine in West Tennessee.

These cases are being investigated by the DEA, Federal Bureau of Investigation, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, Tennessee Bureau of Investigation, Bolivar Police Department, Whiteville Police Department, Chester County Sheriff’s Office, and Jackson Madison County Metro Narcotics Unit. Assistant United States Attorney Jerry Kitchen is handling these cases for the government.

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