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Investigation By Sheriff's Deputies Lead To Drug Arrests

Release Date: August 28, 2006

INDICTMENT UNSEALED, ARRESTS AND CASH AND DRUG SEIZURES IN COCAINE CONSPIRACY CASE:
LARGEST DRUG SEIZURE IN MEMPHIS IN 2006

Memphis, TN - David Kustoff, United States Attorney for the Western District of Tennessee, Andrew Dimond, Resident Agent in Charge of the DEA’s Memphis Resident Office, and Mark Luttrell, Shelby County Sheriff, announced the arrest of eleven defendants and the seizure of over forty kilograms of cocaine and crack cocaine in an operation to dismantle a significant Memphis cocaine ring.

A federal indictment unsealed today charges BRIAN WILLIAMS, JERRY LEE WILLIAMS, SANDRA WILLIAMS, ERICK McWILLIAMS, SABRINA DOUGLAS,CURTIS COLBERT, CHRISTOPHER JORDAN, TROY T. GAINES, KOBEY FENNER and EVLON JOHNSON with conspiring to distribute cocaine and possessing cocaine with the intent to distribute it in violation of 21 U.S.C. §§ 846 and 841(a)(1). ERICK McWILLIAMS is also charged with possessing a firearm after a prior felony conviction, and ERICK McWILLIAMS and CHRISTOPHER JORDAN are charged with possessing and carrying firearms in relation to drug trafficking offenses. Of the ten defendants charged, eight had been arrested as of the time of this press release.

In addition to the arrests, the agents and officers searched ten locations in Memphis and West Memphis. In the course of the operation, they seized five cars and over $200,000 in currency. One of the locations searched earlier today was a drug storage house where they found approximately forty-three kilograms of cocaine and over a half pound of crack cocaine. This is by far the largest drug seizure in Memphis in 2006.

In addition, to the arrests of the indicted defendants, the agents and officers arrested three individuals who were charged with drug offenses in complaints filed today. Two of these defendants were at the drug storage house.

The penalties for the drug conspiracy offense charged in the indictment are a minimum prison term of ten (10) years, a maximum prison term of life, a maximum $4,000,000 fine, a term of at least five (5) years of supervised release. If a defendant has one prior drug felony conviction, the minimum prison term is increased to 20 years and the maximum fine is increased $8,000,000 fine, and the minimum term of supervised release is increased to ten (10) years. If a defendant has two or more prior drug felony convictions, the minimum prison term is life.

The cases are being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney David Henry, with the Office of the United States Attorney for the Western District of Tennessee.

Today's arrests and seizures were a joint operation conducted by the Shelby County Sheriff’s Office and the DEA Task Force in Memphis. The Task Force is comprised of DEA Special Agents and agents and officers with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, the U.S. Marshal’s Service, the Germantown Police Department, the Shelby County District Attorney General’s Office, the Memphis Police Department, the Shelby County Sheriff’s Office, the Millington Police Department, and the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation.

In addition to the agencies listed above, assistance was provided by, among other agencies, the U.S. Marshal’s Service.