Nigtarded
Da TNB Reporter
22 Evansville Suspects Indicted in Massive Drug Conspiracy
Posted: Feb 05, 2010 1:33 AM
Updated: Feb 4, 2010 07:55 PM CST
http://www.news25.us/Global/story.asp?S=11936746
Posted: Feb 05, 2010 1:33 AM
Updated: Feb 4, 2010 07:55 PM CST
EVANSVILLE - More than a dozen arrest warrants were served in Evansville and Henderson Thursday morning in coordination with Federal, State and local authorities in a massive drug conspiracy investigation involving suspects in Evansville, Henderson, Chicago and Miami.
According to the Department of Justice, in two separate but related indictments, 22 people were charged in U.S. district Court in Evansville with conspiracy to distribute cocaine. The charges are the result of an investigation led by the Evansville office of Drug Enforcement Administration and the Evansville Vanderburgh County Joint Task Force.
Approximately 150 law enforcement officers participated in executing both arrest and search warrants in relation to the massive investigation.
Ten Evansville addresses were listed in the indictment as places where drugs and cash were stored. Police recovered approximately 1/4 kilogram of powder cocaine and a quantity of crack cocaine. Also recovered was about $21,000 in cash and 16 firearms.
"This is a major distribution organization which has been operating for some time here in Evansville, as was disclosed during the course of the investigation," John Dowd, Assistant U.S. Attorney said Thursday at a press conference.
The Department of Justice said in a press released Thursday that three of the Evansville suspects - 36-year-old Jean Sterling, also from Miami, Florida, 33-year-old Sledge Seide and Francoeur Pierre - are alleged members of the Miami based criminal street gang "Zoe Pond."
The indictments alleges that "Zoe Pound" is a criminal street gang founded by Haitian immigrants within the United States, with roots in Miami, Florida.
"The defendants are alleged to have used and relied upon their ties to "Zoe Pound," which over the past two decades has grown and branched out from its Miami roots," the press release said.
The group is also well known for its involvement in drug trafficking, robbery and related violent crimes and is suspected in facilitating and advancing drug trafficking activities in Evansville.
The first indictment charged the following 12 defendants, all from Evansville, with conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute both "crack" and powder cocaine.
Jean Sterling, 36, also of Miami; Sledge Seide, 33; Francoeur Pierre, 30; Julvio Gabriel, 28; Julius Wilbourn, 36; Edgar Gibson, 28, of Evansville; Marvin Whitney, 22; Bruce Thomas, 48; Olivia Alfano, 22; Johnny Wilbourn, 46; Lernard Dixon, 25, and Jessica Jean, 22.
Suspects Wilbourn, Thomas and Pierre were additionally charged with separate instances of cocaine distribution in Evansville from July through September, 2009.
Seide, Pierre, Gabriel, Whitney, Gibson, Johnny Wilbourn, Dixon, Alfano and Thomas were additionally charged with separate instances of using their cell phones to facilitate the drug trafficking offenses.
The following nine suspects, also of Evansville, were also indicted on related charges.
Michael Davis, 24; Julius Wilbourn; Leron Seales, 26; James Wilson, 70; Andre King, 47; James Ragland, 46; Lamar Duerson, 30; Melvin Collier, 66, and Jelani Mcgee, 28.
According to the press release, suspects Davis, Wilbourn, Seales, Wilson and King are alleged to have participated in a related "crack" and powder cocaine distribution conspiracy.
Davis, Ragland, Duerson, Collier and McGee were additionally charged with separate instances of using their cell phones to facilitate drug trafficking.
In a separate federal complaint, related to the Davis indictment, two additional suspects, Kelly Shidler, 21, and Amber Powell, 30, were charged with the possession of cocaine with the intent to distribute.
The charges against Shidler and Powell stem from a February 1, 2010, traffic stop in Terre Haute. After a search of the vehicle Powell was driving, police discovered 2 kilograms of cocaine hidden in a concealed trap compartment.
Authorities are currently searching for three of the suspects, Leron Seales, Amber Powell and Marvin Whitney.
If you have any information on these suspects you are asked to call police.
http://www.news25.us/Global/story.asp?S=11936746