Two Fitchburg Men Convicted of Distributing Cocaine

BOSTON—Two Fitchburg men were convicted today in U.S. District Court in Worcester of conspiracy and multiple counts of distributing crack cocaine.

Shawn McWhorter, a/k/a/ Kaeshaun, 39, and Junior Barclay, a/k/a Mouse, 31, were convicted by a jury of multiple counts of distributing cocaine base (crack) and conspiracy to distribute cocaine base. United States District Judge Timothy S. Hillman scheduled sentencing for McWhorter on May 30, 2013, and Barclay on May 29, 2013. Defendants convicted under this statute are subject to serve a maximum of 40 years in prison, followed by five years of supervised release and a fine of $4 million.

During the four-day trial, evidence proved that McWhorter distributed crack cocaine on July 26, 2011, and that he and Barclay together conspired to and did distribute crack cocaine on August 5, 2011 and August 25, 2011. In January 2011, McWhorter and Barclay were arrested as part of Operation Red Wolf, a multi-agency investigation targeting gang members involved in drug dealing and firearms distribution in the Fitchburg area.

United States Attorney Carmen M. Ortiz; John J. Arvanitis, Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration’s New England Field Division; Richard DesLauriers, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Field Division; Fitchburg Police Chief Robert A. DeMoura; Webster Police Chief Timothy J. Bent; Gene Marquez, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, Boston Field Division; and Colonel Timothy P. Alben, Superintendent of the Massachusetts State Police, made the announcement today. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Cory Flashner and Mark Grady of Ortiz’s Worcester Branch Office.