Kingpin, 17 others convicted in Jefferson County multi-million dollar drug enterprise
UPDATE April 20, 2022: On Monday, a Bessemer man was convicted by a federal jury under the "Kingpin" statute in a multi-million dollar drug operation busted in Oct. 2019.
Rolando Williamson, now 37, was charged with leading the enterprise and faces a mandatory sentence of life in prison as a convicted "kingpin."
Three others, Adrien Taylor, Ishmywel Gregory and Hendarius Archie, were convicted of conspiring to distribute and possession with intent to distribute heroin, fentanyl, cocaine, methamphetamine, and marijuana. Williamson and Archie were convicted of using, carrying, or possessing a firearm during or in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. Williamson and Taylor were convicted of several counts of using a communication facility to commit a drug trafficking crime.
Taylor faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 25 years to life in prison, Gregory faces a maximum of 30 years in prison and Archie faces a mandatory minimum sentence of five to 40 years in prison.
After Monday's verdict, all 18 members involved in the drug enterprise have been convicted of various crimes.
—
Fifteen of eighteen suspects are in custody Wednesday in relation to a multi-million dollar drug ring based in Jefferson County, federal and local law enforcement agencies said in a joint statement.
Fourteen of those suspects were arrested Wednesday as "part of a multi-million dollar continuing criminal enterprise and conspiracy to distribute heroin, fentanyl, cocaine, methamphetamine, and marijuana" running primarily out of west Jefferson County for the past six years, announced U.S. Attorney Jay E. Town, FBI Special Agent in Charge Johnnie Sharp, Jr., IRS-CID Special Agent in Charge Thomas J. Holloman, III, HSI Atlanta Acting Special Agent in Charge Robert Hammer, Bessemer police Chief Michael Roper and Jefferson County Sheriff Mark Pettway.
In the joint statement, authorities said the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force had been investigating this drug-trafficking enterprise for three years. The investigation rounded up a 58-count superseding indictment and includes actions linked to the enterprise over the past six years.
"As a direct result of this enforcement action, the supply network for heroin/fentanyl, cocaine, methamphetamine, and marijuana in Bessemer and other areas of Jefferson County has been severely disrupted," Sharp said.
The man accused as the leader of the ring, 34-year-old Rolando Williamson, also known as "Baldhead" and "Ball Head," was arrested Aug. 22 in the parking lot of the Publix in Homewood by the North Alabama Safe Streets Task Force. Williamson was then charged with possession with intent to distribute a large quantity of heroin, methamphetamine, marijuana and firearms.
During his arrest, Williamson was found with two loaded pistols, additional loaded magazines and almost $14,000 in cash, authorities said. He was also driving an $80,000 car that was purchased with laundered money.
Authorities also said 366 grams of heroin/fentanyl, 109 grams of suspected cocaine, 573 grams of pure methamphetamine, 52 kilos of marijuana, $97,000 in cash and "an arsenal of firearms and ammunition" were found in three of Williamson's stash houses.
Williamson is also being charged with the “Kingpin Statute,” a count of continuing criminal enterprise. If convicted, he will spend the rest of his life in prison.
According to the indictment, "18 people are charged with conspiracy to distribute heroin/fentanyl, methamphetamine, cocaine, and marijuana between March 2013 and August 2019."
In addition to Williamson, those defendants are:
- Leanthony Gillins, 32, also known as "Fat Man"
- Sirterrious Lee, 32, also known as "Sir"
- Errick Daniel, 31, also known as "E"
- Antonius Hayes, 30
- Adrien Taylor, 31, also known as "Slim"
- Klonde Hatter, 24
- Kenneth Johnson Jr., 33
- Ishmywel Gregory, 35, also known as "C"
- Isaac Robinson, 30, also known as "Ike"
- Christopher Cook, 31
- Kyler Hatter, 23
- Janaya Bibb, 34
- Darius Johnson, 36, also known as "Murc"
- Tevion Poole, 27
- Hendarius Archie, 33, also known as "Hen"
- Yolanda Milton, 48
The only defendants not in custody at this time are Cook, Poole and Robinson.
The indictment separates each defendant by the amount and type of drug attributable to them. Not all defendants hold the same charges and will not receive the same sentence if convicted.