A Jefferson City man was one six co-defendants were sentenced in federal court Thursday for their roles in a conspiracy to distribute crack cocaine and powder cocaine in Boone County.
Vershawn Dejuan Edwards, 24, was sentenced along with Malcolm Desean Redmon, also known as "Harp," 33, Teka Lynn Hayes, also known as "Chuck," 52, and Marlon Dion Jordan, also known as "Miles" or "Mal," 36, all of Columbia. Also sentenced were Kenneth Scott Sr., 48, of Fulton, and Guillermo Ortiz Perez, also known as "Youngster," 26, a citizen of Mexico.
Edwards was sentenced to five years probation while Redmon was sentenced to 24 years and four months in federal prison without parole. Jordan was sentenced to 12 years and seven months in federal prison without parole. Scott was sentenced to 10 years in federal prison without parole. Perez was sentenced to four years in federal prison without parole. Hayes was sentenced to five years of probation.
According to court documents, Redmon - the leader of the criminal conspiracy - and those working for him received a total of four kilograms of powder cocaine from November 2011 to August 2014. During the investigation, law enforcement purchased 216.78 grams of crack cocaine and 46.04 grams of powder cocaine from members of the conspiracy. Law enforcement also seized 55.5 grams of crack cocaine and 93.63 grams of powder cocaine. The interception of telephone calls and statements made by co-defendants reflected a substantial number of additional transactions between members of the conspiracy.
Redmon used information compiled by investigators to determine the identity of the sources and informants who provided information during the investigation. (They were identified only by numbers in the reports due to safety concerns.) Redmon shared the identities of the individuals he believed to be informants over the telephone from jail. The names of those individuals were then published on social media, where they were threatened.
Court documents also cite Redmon's involvement in numerous shooting incidents and his history of criminal activity, including violent crimes and drug use.
Redmon, Scott, Perez, Jordan and Edwards each pleaded guilty to participating in a conspiracy to distribute five kilograms or more of powder cocaine and crack cocaine.
Scott also pleaded guilty to being a felon in possession of firearms and money laundering. Scott admitted he was a major distributor of cocaine to various persons in the Mid-Missouri area, including Columbia and Fulton. Scott was responsible for distributing more than six kilograms of cocaine, some of which had been converted into many pounds of crack cocaine.
Perez also pleaded guilty to being an illegal alien in possession of a firearm and to illegally reentering the United States after having been deported. Perez admitted he sold Scott two kilograms of cocaine on two separate occasions in 2014.
Jordan and Redmon worked together in acquiring and distributing cocaine and crack cocaine in the Columbia area. The two were in business together in 2013 and 2014, and Jordan generally took directions from Redmon. Jordan assisted in converting cocaine to crack cocaine. On Aug. 21, 2012, Jordan was shot but declined to assist law enforcement in their investigation.
The police seized, among other things, four cellphones, which Jordan had in his possession. Redmon continued to operate his drug-trafficking organization even though he was in jail at the time, and in more than one call, he told his girlfriend and co-defendant Courtney Thornton, 35, of Columbia, and others to pick up or see that Jordan's phones were picked up from the police before they had a chance to go through them. Thornton has pleaded guilty to her role in the conspiracy and is scheduled to be sentenced on Dec. 7.
Hayes pleaded guilty to making her home available to Redmon and Scott for storing cocaine and crack cocaine, as well as for the conversion of powder cocaine into crack and to distribute the drugs from that location. In return for allowing Redmon and Scott to use her residence, Hayes was given crack cocaine for her personal use and sometimes money.
These six defendants are among 12 defendants in this case who have been sentenced; 14 defendants have pleaded guilty and await sentencing.