Home Knoxville Press Releases 2009 Members of a Major Crack Cocaine Drug Trafficking Organization Indicted in Federal Court
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Members of a Major Crack Cocaine Drug Trafficking Organization Indicted in Federal Court

U.S. Attorney’s Office August 04, 2009
  • Eastern District of Tennessee (865) 545-4167

MORRISTOWN, TN—On July 14, 2009, a federal grand jury sitting in Greeneville, Tennessee, returned a superseding indictment charging a total of 32 people on 103 separate counts. The defendants were all indicted on federal conspiracy charges involving the distribution and the possession with the intent to distribute large amounts of cocaine and crack cocaine within the Eastern District of Tennessee and elsewhere. In addition to the conspiracy charges, numerous defendants were also charged with money laundering offenses, possessing firearms in furtherance of drug trafficking and maintaining a residence for the purpose of manufacturing and/or storing crack cocaine. If convicted, the defendants face a mandatory term of ten years in prison, a fine of $4,000,000.00, a term of at least five years supervised release, and mandatory court assessments. In addition, the firearms charges as described above carry a term of five years in prison which, by federal law, is imposed consecutively to the sentence for the drug trafficking offense. The indictment is filed as a public record at the United States District Court, Greeneville, Tennessee.

Included in the indictment are the following individuals: Andrew Montgomery, 26, of Atlanta Georgia; Alexis D. Terrell, 32, of Morrow, Georgia; Anthony Bryan, 56, of Atlanta, Georgia; Jason Ware, 27, of Atlanta, Georgia; Johnny Marshall, 28, of Atlanta, Georgia; Martina Yeary, 28, of Morristown, Tennessee; Malcolm Bryan, 54, of Riverdale, Georgia; Vivian Bryan, 52, of Morristown, Tennessee; Guy Collins, 45, of Morristown, Tennessee; Charles Rudolph, 28, of Morristown, Tennessee; Jamie Lewis, 32, of Morristown, Tennessee; Tonya Lewis, 30, of Morristown, Tennnesee; Gary Chapman, 30, of Morristown, Tennessee; Lindsey Stone, 29, of Morristown, Tennessee; Bobby Porter, 49, of Atlanta, Georgia; Robert Johnson, 25, of Morristown, Tennessee; Kevin Vinet, 22, Morristown, Tennessee; Preston Blanton, 27, of Morristown, Tennessee; James McCloud, 26, of Morristown, Tennessee; Deon Reeves, 26, of Hampton, Georgia; Randy Brockwell, 44, of Morristown, Tennessee; Victor Cain, 39, of Morristown, Tennessee; Dennis Fitch, 42, of Morristown, Tennessee; Betty Fuson, 33, of Morristown, Tennessee; Glenda Gilliam, 36, of Morristown, Tennessee; Brandon Foulks, 26, of Morristown, Tennessee; Kathy Dingus, 35, of Morristown, Tennessee; Robert Dingus, Jr., 38, of Morristown, Tennessee; Terrence Edwards, 20, of Morristown, Tennessee; and Ameka Brewer, 30, of Atlanta, Georgia.

The indictment also includes money judgments for drug trafficking and money laundering each in the amount of $2,000,000.00 against nine individuals which represents the minimum amount of proceeds obtained as a result of the drug trafficking and money laundering used to facilitate the conspiracy and which are subject to forfeiture.

All of the above defendants have been arrested by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) or are currently in state custody and awaiting being transported to Greeneville for arraignment on these charges.

This indictment is the result of a multi-state, multi-agency investigation, which targeted a sophisticated drug trafficking and money laundering organization responsible for multiple kilogram amounts of cocaine and crack cocaine being supplied from the Atlanta, Georgia area through Mexican drug suppliers, and distributed in and around Morristown, Tennessee. Agencies involved with the investigation include the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) in Johnson City, Tennessee; FBI’s High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area (HIDTA) Task Force; Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) Strike Force in Atlanta, Georgia; Morristown Police Department; Hamblen County Sheriff’s Office; and Tennessee Bureau of Investigation (TBI). Assistance was also rendered by the Atlanta Police Department, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms and Explosives (ATF) and United States Attorney’s Offices in the Northern Districts of Georgia and Florida. Assistant United States Attorney Wayne Taylor represents the United States in this OCDETF investigation and prosecution.

“I am extremely proud of the cooperative efforts of the investigators from the numerous law enforcement agencies led by the FBI to expose and arrest the individuals involved in one of the largest drug conspiracies in East Tennessee,” stated United States Attorney James R. “Russ” Dedrick. Dedrick especially commended Morristown Police Department Chief Roger Overholt, Hamblen County Sheriff Esco Jarnagin and their highly professional officers for the hard work and excellent investigative support theyprovided to FBISupervisorySpecial Agent Kevin Keithleyand the United States Attorney’s Office. United States Attorney Dedrick also praised the hard work and dedication of Assistant United States Attorney Wayne Taylor, from his office, who has worked with the investigators and is representing the United States in these cases.

Knoxville FBI Special Agent in Charge Rick Lambert said, “Drug trafficking enterprises are responsible for as much as 80% of the crime in many communities ranging from street corner narcotics sales and turf-related shootings to burglaries, robberies, and assaults bythose addicted. The FBI remains committed to working with our state and local law enforcement partners in Morristown to disrupt and dismantle these organizations.”

Chief Overholt stated, “These types of crimes highlight the importance of law enforcement combining resources to combat crime. By working with multiple agencies, we are able to effectively address large-scale illegal drug distribution operations as well as other associated crimes. The officers and agents that worked this case are to be commended.”

Sheriff Jarnagin echoed the sentiments of Chief Overholt. “A tremendous amount of hard work went into this investigation. I want to personally thank everyone involved in this case for their teamwork and for making the streets safer for everyone.”

Members of the public are reminded that an indictment constitutes only charges and that every person is presumed innocent until their guilt has been proven beyond a reasonable doubt.

For additional information, please contact United States Attorney Russ Dedrick, 865-545-4167, Assistant U.S. Attorney Wayne Taylor, 423-282-1889, or Public Information Officer Sharry Dedman-Beard, 865-545-4167.

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