MOBILE, Ala. (WKRG) — Several members of a Mobile County-based, multi-state drug trafficking operation were charged Monday in Federal Court.
The United States Attorney’s office in Mobile announced 19 of the members were taken into custody Monday morning. A grand jury has charged 42 members and its associates with narcotics conspiracy and firearms offenses.
This was a two-year investigation by the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force, made up of federal, state, and local law enforcement.
An indictment cites the drugs came from California, Florida, Louisiana, and Mississippi. According to Richard Moore, the US Attorney for Southern Alabama, the drugs were distributed mostly in Mobile.
“They were able to move a lot of drugs, not huge quantities but very regularly,” Moore said.
The organization is known as the “Crossley Hills Drug Trafficking Organization.” According to the US Attorney’s office in Mobile, the group was operating in the Dawes and Tillman’s Corner area of Mobile County for “many years.” The grand jury has charged that as a direct result of the sale of opioids, mostly heroin and fentanyl by the organization, four individuals died of drug overdoses.
“This is a very significant investigation and one that really for the first time, we will show the direct correlation between the sowers of death and drugs. We’ll be able to show that the dealing of these drugs will lead to overdoses and deaths. This is the first time I’ve seen this in a long time. It’s a long time coming,” said Mobile County Sheriff Sam Cochran.
Six defendants are charged with distributing fentanyl that resulted in overdose deaths of four people. Martin Carlton Melton, aka MC; Terry Lamont Owens, aka Solo; Cornell Lemont Houston, aka CJ; Marinda Olivia Loetta Heflin; William Grant Owens, aka Whip, aka Surge; and Jessica Defloren Tubb, aka Allie were all charged and face a minimum of 20 years in prison, and a maximum of life in prison if they are convicted.
According to the indictment, William Owens used several hotels and motels located in Mobile County for locations to sell controlled substances. The indictment names the Regency Inn Motel as one of those locations.
The indictment goes on to say William Owens mainly used prostitutes to maintain and sell controlled substances on his behalf.
The FBI says they discovered a significant amount of illegal activity that took place at the Regency Inn, including the overdoses. The FBI says it is alleged the owners of the hotel had full knowledge and did nothing to stop the illegal activity. The three owners have been federally charged and arrested for operating a drug-involved premises.
“It is alleged the owners of the hotel had full knowledge of the illegal activity and did nothing from stopping it at their premises,” said Kelly Holland, with the FBI in Mobile.
WKRG News 5 was at the Regency Inn in July during an FBI raid. FBI agents also raided another motel in Prichard and home on Legend’s Row. The FBI confirmed at the time all three were connected.
Three people were arrested by Mobile FBI Monday morning for operating a drug-involved premises. Mitesh Desai and Jaikumar Patel were both arrested Monday morning with the help from Spanish Fort and Saraland Police Departments. Paresh Patel turned himself in to the FBI.
The 19 arrested Monday appeared before US Magistrate Judge Katherine P. Nelson for an arraignment.
The 42 charged in the indictment are: Martin Carlton Melton, aka MC; Jessie Lee Andrews; Lisa Overby Brokaw; Reginald Irvin Burgess; Melody Noel Cleburn, aka Angel Noel; Jimmy Early Conner; Mortimer Adrian Cottrell, aka Cuz; Khadarrin J. Crayton, aka KD; Chad Joshua Delevieleuse, aka Chad the Pilot; Donna J. Delevieleuse; Kiarius Jamer Diamond, aka Nephew; Julisa Natalia Dillard; Sydney Elizabeth Dunn; Miranda Olivia Loetta Heflin; Cornell Lemont Houston, aka CJ; Avamae Gaynell Jackson, aka Ava; Tomocus Lawrence Jackson, aka J-Bo; Richard Gaines Krause; Brittany Victoria Lovejoy; Harrison Lavelle Luker; Austin Tyler Mamuscia; Tyler Weston Martin; Fitzalbert Norman Mcgloshen, aka Fitz; Gabrielle Antoinette Mims; Jonas Moore, aka Rip; Autumn Jean Moorehead; Annetta Gaynell Owens, aka Gaynell; Adam Joseph Owens, aka AJ, aka Big Homie; William Grant Owens, aka Whip, aka Surge; Edwin Jerome Owens, aka EJ; Terry Lamont Owens, aka Solo; Amber Lee Parker, aka Amber Ruseell; Ed Ray Patterson, aka Unc, aka Pop; Wendy Gale Roberts; Mark Robert Rupprecht, aka Ghost; Alex Scott, aka Black; Lemont Stevens, aka Mont; Denton Taylor Stanley; Jessica Defloren Tubb, aka Allie; Paresh Patel; Jaikumar Rameshbai Patel; and Mitesh Desai.
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