ROCKFORD, Ill., June 13 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- PATRICK J.
FITZGERALD, United States Attorney for the Northern District of
Illinois; ANDREW L. TRAVER, Special Agent-In-Charge of the Chicago
Office of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives;
ROBERT D. GRANT, Special Agent-In- Charge of the Chicago Office of
the Federal Bureau of Investigation; RICHARD MEYERS, Winnebago
County Sheriff; and CHET EPPERSON, Chief of the Rockford Police
Department, today made the following announcement: Today, United
States District Judge Philip G. Reinhard sentenced STEVEN P.
EASTER, also known as "Little Steve," 23, of Rockford, Illinois,
and JAMAUL R. McKAY, 20, of Chicago, Illinois, to federal prison
for their roles in a conspiracy to distribute heroin and crack
cocaine, as well as for possessing firearms in furtherance of a
drug trafficking crime. Easter was sentenced to a total of 21 years
in federal prison without parole (16 years for the drug conspiracy
charge and 5 years for the firearms charge, to run consecutively),
to be followed by 5 years of supervised release, and was ordered to
pay a $250 fine and a $200 special assessment. McKay was sentenced
to a total of 15 years in federal prison without parole (10 years
for the drug conspiracy charge and 5 years for the firearms charge,
to run consecutively), followed by 5 years of supervised release,
and was ordered to pay a $250 fine, and a $200 special assessment.
Easter pled guilty on September 19, 2006, to the drug trafficking
conspiracy and possessing a firearm in furtherance of the drug
conspiracy as charged in the indictment. McKay pled guilty to the
drug trafficking conspiracy and possessing a firearm in furtherance
of the drug conspiracy on February 8, 2007. In pleading guilty,
Easter and McKay admitted that between at least 2001 to September
13, 2005, they conspired with others to distribute more than one
kilogram of heroin, and more than 50 grams of cocaine base
("crack") in Rockford, Loves Park, and Chicago. According to
Easter's plea agreement, Darrell "Duck" Davis controlled the drug
trafficking activities of the Titanic Stones street gang in
Rockford, also known as The Brothers. Beginning in 2001, Davis
recruited several Titanic Stones gang members from Chicago to come
to Rockford to assist in the sale of heroin and crack cocaine.
Members of the gang, including Steven Easter, arranged for houses
to be rented in other person's names, usually females associated
with a gang member, then used those houses as distribution centers
for the sale of the drugs. Many of the drug houses were fortified
with barrel bolts, steel brackets, and 2" x 4" boards on the doors
which made it more difficult for rival gangs and/or the police to
enter. The Titanic Stones gang members used Nextel cell phones with
a walkie talkie feature to discuss drug trafficking, using terms
such as "cereal," "happy meal," and "demo" to refer to drugs. The
plea agreement further states the gang used firearms to protect
their drugs, money, and drug houses from rival drug dealers and
rival gangs. According to the plea agreement, during the course of
the conspiracy, several Titanic Stones gang members were involved
in shootings with rival drug dealers and gangs. Easter and McKay
were the third and fourth defendants to be sentenced out of a total
of 16 individuals charged in the conspiracy. On December 8, 2006,
CAMERON P. LEMON, 25, formerly of Chicago, was sentenced to 10
years in federal prison without parole for conspiracy to distribute
and possess with intent to distribute heroin and crack cocaine. On
February 8, 2007, SYLVIA M. DAVENPORT, 27, formerly of Rockford,
was sentenced to 70 months in federal prison without parole for
conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute
heroin and crack cocaine. Eleven other defendants are scheduled to
be sentenced, as follows: DARRELL D. DAVIS, also known as "Duck,"
27, 536 Lawn Drive, Loves Park, Illinois, pled guilty on November
14, 2006, to conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to
distribute heroin and crack cocaine, as well as to possessing a
firearm in furtherance of the drug conspiracy. Davis is scheduled
to be sentenced on July 13, 2007, at 10:00 a.m. He is being held in
federal custody without bail pending sentencing. AMBROSE L. JONES,
also known as "Brose," 25, 1832 N. Main Street, Rockford, Illinois,
pled guilty on September 13, 2006, to conspiracy to distribute and
possess with intent to distribute heroin and crack cocaine, as well
as to possessing a firearm in furtherance of the drug conspiracy.
Jones is scheduled to be sentenced on August 3, 2007, at 10:30 a.m.
He is being held in federal custody without bail pending
sentencing. ANTHONY K. GLOVER, also known as "Bones," 24, 1420 12th
Street, Rockford, Illinois, pled guilty on April 27, 2007, to
conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute
heroin and crack cocaine, as well as to possessing a firearm in
furtherance of the drug conspiracy. Glover is scheduled to be
sentenced on August 24, 2007, at 10:00 a.m. He is being held in
federal custody without bail pending sentencing. MONTRELL McSWAIN,
also known as "Trell," 26, Loves Park, Illinois, was found guilty
on May 23, 2007 after a jury trial of conspiracy to distribute and
possess with intent to distribute heroin and crack cocaine, as well
as to possessing a firearm in furtherance of the drug conspiracy.
McSwain is scheduled to be sentenced on September 14, 2007, at 9:30
a.m. He is being held in federal custody without bail pending
sentencing. DUPREE L. TURNER, also known as "Joe," "Joey," and
"Duke," 22, 5023 Champlain Street, Chicago, Illinois, pled guilty
on October 6, 2006, to conspiracy to distribute and possess with
intent to distribute heroin and crack cocaine, as well as to
possessing a firearm in furtherance of the drug conspiracy. Turner
is scheduled to be sentenced on August 3, 2007, at 9:00 a.m. He is
being held in federal custody without bail pending sentencing.
BOBBY L. HARRIS, also known as "David," and "B.O.," 22, 7851 S.
Marshfield, Chicago, Illinois, pled guilty on September 13, 2006,
to conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute
heroin and crack cocaine, as well as to possessing a firearm in
furtherance of the drug conspiracy. Harris is scheduled to be
sentenced on July 27, 2007, at 11:00 a.m. He is being held in
federal custody without bail pending sentencing. BRADFORD V.
DODSON, also known as "Brad" and "Hustler," 26, Rockford, Illinois,
was found guilty on May 23, 2007 after a jury trial of conspiracy
to distribute and possess with intent to distribute heroin and
crack cocaine, as well as three counts of possessing a firearm in
furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. Dodson is scheduled to be
sentenced on October 18, 2007, at 9:00 a.m. He is being held in
federal custody without bail pending sentencing. FLOYD R. MURRAY,
22, 6937 South Harper, Chicago, Illinois, pled guilty on August 25,
2006, to conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to
distribute heroin and crack cocaine. Murray is scheduled to be
sentenced on July 27, 2007, at 10:30 a.m. He is being held in
federal custody without bail pending sentencing. JAMEAH M. FLINT,
23, 1534 Chestnut Street, Rockford, Illinois, pled guilty on May 9,
2007, to aiding and abetting the drug trafficking conspiracy. Flint
is scheduled to be sentenced on September 6, 2007, at 9:30 a.m. She
is being held in federal custody without bail pending sentencing.
CLINTON W. ALLEN, also known as "Clint," 42, 818 12th Street,
Rockford, Illinois pled guilty on September 21, 2006, to aiding and
abetting the drug trafficking conspiracy. Allen is scheduled to be
sentenced on August 3, 2007, at 11:00 a.m. He is being held in
federal custody without bail pending sentencing. LEE S. ALLEN, 41,
3434 Edvera Drive, Rockford, Illinois, was found guilty on May 23,
2007 after a jury trial of aiding and abetting the drug trafficking
conspiracy. Allen is scheduled to be sentenced on October 16, 2007,
at 9:30 a.m. Allen remains on bond pending sentencing. The
remaining defendant, Joel Turner, Jr., is facing first degree
murder charges in Winnebago County Circuit Court, and has not
appeared in federal court on these charges. The case was
investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and
Explosives (ATF), the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Rockford
Police Department, the Winnebago County Sheriff's Department, and
the Rockford- Winnebago County Metro Narcotics Unit. The case is
being prosecuted in federal court by Assistant United States
Attorneys Michael F. Iasparro and Mark T. Karner. Michael F.
Iasparro, PH: (815) 987-4444 Assistant U.S. Attorney FAX : (815)
987-4236 DATASOURCE: United States Attorney for the Northern
District of Illinois, Western CONTACT: Michael F. Iasparro,
Assistant U.S. Attorney, PH: +1-815-987-4444, FAX: +1-815-987-4236
Web site: http://www.atf.gov/
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