Fourteen Defendants Indicted for Drug Trafficking, Money Laundering, and Firearms Offenses

United States Attorney James L. Santelle announced today that as a result of an investigation into drug-dealing occurring on the east side of Milwaukee, a federal grand jury had indicted 14 defendants for drug trafficking, money laundering, and firearms offenses.

Today, law enforcement officers arrested 12 of these defendants. Still at large are Larry Hooker and Cedric Greer. In addition, law enforcement officers executed seven federal search warrants and seized firearms, jewelry, and approximately $30,000.

This investigation focused on the alleged drug-trafficking activities of Earl Williams, Jr., and others on the east side of Milwaukee. Count One of the first indictment alleges that Mr. Williams and others conspired to distribute more than five kilograms of cocaine, and more than 280 grams of crack cocaine, in violation of Title 21, United States Code, Sections 841 and 846. Defendants convicted of that offense would face between 10 years and life imprisonment, a fine of up to $4,000,000, and five years to life on supervised release.

According to the first indictment, the conspirators pooled their money to obtain large quantities of cocaine, the majority of which was converted into “crack.” The conspirators then distributed the cocaine and crack cocaine in the Eastern District of Wisconsin. According to the indictment, the conspirators used various residences to store, package, prepare, and distribute the cocaine and crack cocaine and possessed firearms to protect the drugs and proceeds of the conspiracy. One of the alleged goals of the conspiracy was the accumulation of assets, including jewelry and vehicles. The government is seeking forfeiture of those assets.

The defendants were charged based on a year-long joint investigation by the Milwaukee High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area (HIDTA) Drug Gang Task Force, including officers from the Milwaukee Police Department and Special Agents of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), with assistance from the Wisconsin Department of Justice-Division of Criminal Investigation (DCI), the West Allis Police Department, the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), and the Internal Revenue Service (IRS). The United States Marshals Service, Oak Creek Police Department, Milwaukee County Sheriff’s Office and Wisconsin State Patrol also assisted in today’s arrests.

According to United States Attorney James L. Santelle, “This significant law enforcement action identifying, apprehending, and bringing to justice a group of people whose drug dealing and related criminal conduct has compromised the safety and security of neighborhoods on the east side of Milwaukee reflects the continuing, targeted, and effective work that we pursue on behalf of all of the people of our community. As a part of our focused investigative and prosecution strategy, fourteen defendants were indicted for engaging in a sophisticated conspiracy to obtain large amounts of cocaine and to profit from the subsequent sale of it, much of it in “crack” form. The fact that virtually all of them are now in custody, facing significant prison terms and likely to lose the assets that they have acquired, is rightly viewed as the appropriate and anticipated response to this kind of destructive behavior. It is also representative of the sort of success that we have in combating the illegal acquisition, transfer, sale, and distribution of illegal drugs of all kinds.” Santelle specifically commended the critically important work of all of the agencies participating int he investigation of the case, including the arrests of earlier today and, in particular, the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Milwaukee Police Department, working together through the HIDTA.

This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Bridget J. Domaszek.

The public is cautioned that an indictment is merely the formal method of charging an individual and does not constitute inference of his or her guilt. An individual is presumed innocent until such time, if ever, that the government establishes his or her guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.