Kansas City Man, a Career Offender, Sentenced to Life in Prison for Drug Trafficking Conspiracy
| U.S. Attorney’s Office December 10, 2012 |
KANSAS CITY, MO—David M. Ketchmark, Acting United States Attorney for the Western District of Missouri, announced that a Kansas City, Missouri man was sentenced in federal court today for participating in a conspiracy to distribute large amounts of cocaine and crack cocaine in Kansas City.
Theodore S. Wiggins, also known as “Theo,” 31, of Kansas City, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Gary A. Fenner to life in federal prison without parole. A life sentence was mandatory due to Wiggins’ prior felony convictions for drug offenses. Wiggins was classified as a career offender; two of his prior felony convictions involved carjackings, including one incident when he fled and shot at pursuing police officers.
On June 12, 2012, Wiggins was found guilty of participating in a drug trafficking conspiracy and of selling crack cocaine to an undercover officer. Wiggins purchased cocaine from co-defendant Shawn Hampton, also known as “Smoke,” 37, of Raytown, Missouri. Investigators estimate that during the course of the investigation, which began on February 3, 2010, Hampton’s organization was responsible for acquiring and distributing 35 to 40 kilograms of cocaine and crack cocaine in Kansas City.
Hampton purchased kilogram quantities of cocaine from co-defendant Ricardo Nevarez, 30, of Kansas City, Kansas, who was supplied by co-defendant Alfonso Velo, 48, a citizen of Mexico residing in Kansas City, Kansas. This cocaine was then distributed to Hampton’s associates in Kansas City.
Investigators learned that almost immediately after acquiring cocaine from Nevarez, usually in the amount of one or two kilograms, Hampton and his associates would begin calling and receiving calls from hundreds of potential customers for crack cocaine.
Hampton, Nevarez, and Velo are among 24 defendants who have pleaded guilty to federal charges related to the drug trafficking conspiracy. Hampton was sentenced on November 2, 2012, to 16 years and eight months in federal prison without parole. Velo was sentenced on July 2012, to six years and three months in federal prison without parole. Nevarez was sentenced on June 11, 2012, to five years in federal prison without parole.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Brent Venneman and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Sydney M. Sanders. It was investigated by the FBI; U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations; the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; the Department of Justice Special Operations Division; and the Kansas City, Missouri Police Department.
This news release, as well as additional information about the office of the United States Attorney for the Western District of Missouri, is available online at http://www.justice.gov/usao/mow/index.html.