Thursday, November 04, 2010

Three Columbia Men Indicted in Cocaine Conspiracy

JEFFERSON CITY, MO—Beth Phillips, United States Attorney for the Western District of Missouri, announced today that three Columbia, Missouri men have been indicted by a federal grand jury for their roles in a conspiracy to distribute cocaine in Boone County, Mo.

Michael Jerome Walker, Jr., 26; Matthew Raymond Olsson, also known as “Odog Phatty,” 32; and Corey Wayne Everage, 32, all of Columbia, were charged in a five-count indictment returned under seal by a federal grand jury in Jefferson City, Mo., on Tuesday, Nov. 2, 2010. That indictment was unsealed and made public today following Everage’s arrest and initial court appearance.

The federal indictment alleges that Walker, Olsson, and Everage participated in a conspiracy to distribute cocaine in Boone County in August and September 2010.

The indictment also charges the co-defendants with one count each of possessing cocaine with the intent to distribute.

Everage is also charged with being a felon in possession of a firearm. Everage was allegedly in possession of a loaded Rossi .357-caliber revolver on Sept. 13, 2010. Under federal law, it is illegal for anyone who has been convicted of a felony to be in possession of any firearm or ammunition. Everage has prior felony convictions for stealing, leaving the scene of an accident and distributing a controlled substance.

The indictment also contains a forfeiture allegation, which would require Walker and Olsson to forfeit to the government any property used to commit the alleged offenses, or that was derived from the proceeds of the offense, including a 2000 Mercedes Benz and $8,141 that was seized by law enforcement officers.

Phillips cautioned that the charges contained in this indictment are simply accusations, and not evidence of guilt. Evidence supporting the charges must be presented to a federal trial jury, whose duty is to determine guilt or innocence.

This case is being prosecuted by Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Steven Berry. It was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Columbia, Missouri Police Department, the Boone County, Missouri Sheriff’s Department, and the Missouri State Highway Patrol.

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