NEWS RELEASE
UNITED STATES ATTORNEY'S OFFICE
WESTERN DISTRICT OF VIRGINIA
Julia C. Dudley Acting United States Attorney Brian McGinn Public Affairs Specialist |
BB&T Building 310 1st Street, S.W., Room 906 Roanoke, Virginia 24011 (540) 857-2974 FAX (540) 857-2179 |
August 27, 2008
FINAL MEMBER OF CRACK COCAINE
DISTRIBUTION RING SENTENCED TO 105 MONTHS
In all, conspiracy members will serve 659 months in Federal Prison
Acting United States Attorney Julia C. Dudley announced today that Frederick Maurice Perry, age 25, of Kinston, North Carolina was sentenced in the United States District Court for the Western District of Virginia in Roanoke for charges related to the participation in an organization that distributed crack cocaine throughout the Roanoke area, and elsewhere.
Today in District Court, Perry was sentenced to 105 months of Federal incarceration to be followed by five years of supervised release thereafter. Perry was also ordered to pay a $1,000 fine and a $100 special assessment.
Perry was the final member of a five-person crack cocaine distribution organization to be sentenced. In all, the members of the conspiracy were sentenced to 659 months of Federal incarceration for their crimes.
“The law enforcement community in the Western District of Virginia has made a commitment to stopping the distribution of illegal drugs in our neighborhoods,” Acting United States Attorney Julia C. Dudley said today. “Thanks to that commitment, five drug dealers from our area will be off the streets for a very long time.”
Perry, Rashaad Amir Johnson, age 33, of Roanoke, Carlos Ernest Coward, age 21, of Kinston, North Carolina, Ricky Earl Simmons, age 24, of La Grange, North Carolina and Christopher Lindell Foye, age 21, of Kinston, North Carolina were indicted in October of 2007 on a variety of drug charges.
On May 2, 2008, in separate hearings, all members of the conspiracy entered guilty pleas to a variety of charges.
Perry pled guilty to one count of conspiring to distribute and possess with the intent to distribute more than 50 grams of crack cocaine.
Johnson pled guilty to two counts of possession with the intent to distribute more than 50 grams of crack cocaine and in July was sentenced to 121 months of Federal incarceration to be followed by 5 years of supervised release. He was also ordered to pay a $1,000 fine and a special assessment of $200.
Coward pled guilty to one count of conspiring to distribute and possess with the intent to distribute more than 50 grams of crack cocaine and in July was sentenced to 120 months of Federal incarceration to be followed by 5 years of supervised release. He was also ordered to pay a fine of $1,000 and a special assessment of $100. In addition, Coward was ordered to forfeit to the United States, $3,100 in cash that was seized from him at the time of his arrest.
Foye pled guilty to one count of possession with the intent to distribute more than 5 grams of crack cocaine and in July was sentenced to 188 months of Federal incarceration to be followed by 4 years of supervised release. He was also ordered to pay a $1,000 fine and a special assessment of $100.
Simmons pled guilty to one count of conspiring to distribute and possess with the intent to distribute more than 50 grams of crack cocaine and on August 5, 2008 he was sentenced to 125 months of incarceration and ordered to pay a $1,000 fine and a special assessment of $100.
The investigation of the case was conducted by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. Assistant United States Attorney Donald Wolthuis prosecuted the case for the United States.