KANSAS CITY, MO—David M. Ketchmark,
Acting United States Attorney for the Western District of Missouri, announced
that a Kansas City, Missouri man was convicted by a federal trial jury today of
participating in a conspiracy to distribute large amounts of cocaine and crack
cocaine in Kansas City and St. Louis, Missouri.
Theodore S. Wiggins, also known as
“Theo,” 31, of Kansas City, was found guilty of both counts contained in a May
26, 2010 federal indictment.
Wiggins, who was also convicted of
selling crack cocaine to an undercover officer, purchased cocaine from
co-defendant Shawn Hampton, also known as “Smoke,” 36, of Raytown, Missouri.
Investigators estimate that during the course of the investigation, which began
on February 3, 2010, Hampton’s organization was responsible for acquiring and
distributing 35 to 40 kilograms of cocaine and crack cocaine in Kansas City.
Hampton purchased kilogram quantities of
cocaine from co-defendant Ricardo Nevarez, 30, of Kansas City, Kansas, who was
supplied by co-defendant Alfonso Velo, 47, a citizen of Mexico residing in
Kansas City, Kansas. This cocaine was then distributed to Hampton’s associates
in Kansas City.
Investigators learned that almost
immediately after acquiring cocaine from Nevarez, usually in the amount of one
or two kilograms, Hampton and his associates would begin calling and receiving
calls from hundreds of potential customers for crack cocaine.
Hampton, Nevarez and Velo are among 22
defendants who have pleaded guilty to federal charges related to the
drug-trafficking conspiracy.
Under federal statutes, Wiggins is
subject to a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years in federal prison without
parole, up to a sentence of life in federal prison without parole, plus a fine
up to $5 million. A sentencing hearing will be scheduled after the completion
of a presentence investigation by the United States Probation Office.
Following the presentation of evidence,
the jury in the U.S. District Court in Kansas City, MMissouri deliberated for
less than an hour before returning the guilty verdict to U.S. District Judge
Gary A. Fenner, ending a trial that began Monday, June 4, 2012.
This case is being prosecuted by
Assistant U.S. Attorney Brent Venneman and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney
Sydney M. Sanders. It was investigated by the FBI; U.S. Immigration and Customs
Enforcement’s (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations; the Bureau of Alcohol,
Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; the Department of Justice Special Operations
Division; and the Kansas City, Missouri Police Department.
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