Man Sentenced to 20 Years for Role in Heroin and Cocaine Conspiracy
| U.S. Attorney’s Office January 28, 2009 |
NEW ORLEANS, LA—KEVIN COCKERHAM, a/k/a “Frog,” age 38, a resident of New Orleans, was sentenced in federal court today by U. S. District Judge Kurt Engelhardt to twenty (20) years (240 months) in prison for his role in a conspiracy to distribute multiple kilograms of heroin and cocaine and four (4) years to run concurrently for using the telephone to facilitate a drug trafficking crime, announced U.S. Attorney Jim Letten. In addition to the term of imprisonment, Judge Engelhardt ordered that the defendant be placed on ten (10) years of supervised release following the term of imprisonment, during which time the defendant will be under federal supervision and risks an additional term of imprisonment should she violate any terms of her supervised release.
On October 8, 2008, COCKERHAM pled guilty to one count of conspiracy to possess with the intent to distribute 5 kilograms or more of cocaine hydrochloride and 1 or more kilograms of heroin and one count of using the telephone to facilitate a drug trafficking crime. According to court documents, Corey Muse supplied COCKERHAM with heroin and cocaine hydrochloride from Houston, Texas for distribution to customers in New Orleans. The court documents indicate that COCKERHAM was responsible for distributing a total quantity of 17 kilograms of cocaine hydrochloride and 2.5 kilograms of heroin.
COCKERHAM also admitted he had previously been convicted of a drug felony in state court which by statute enhanced his mandatory minimum sentence to 20 years to life. COCKERHAM will forfeit to the government over $11,000, a 1999 Mercedes CLK, a Jiminez Arms 9MM Handgun, and jewelry as property used or proceeds derived from his narcotics trafficking.
Numerous co-defendants in the case have pled guilty. Co-defendants hose defendants, RANDY DEAN a/k/a "Po," DARREN PAUL, and RICHARD DAGGS, JR.,a/k/a “Ro” are scheduled for trial in March 2009.
The case against COCKERHAM was investigated by Special Agents of the Federal Bureau of Investigation. This prosecution was handled by Assistant U. S. Attorney Emily Greenfield.