U.S. Attorney General Andrew Birge announced Monday that 27 defendants have been convicted and sentenced for involvement in a cocaine-trafficking conspiracy.
The conspiracy, led by Howard Mayfield of Grand Rapids, brought over 100 kilograms of cocaine to the region between April 2017 and May 2018, according to a news release.
Mayfield was sentenced to 360 months in prison.
Conspirators were convicted for their respective roles, such as helping to transport or store the cocaine or the drug proceeds.
“Cocaine and cocaine base are powerful drugs that continue to wreak havoc on individual users, their families and their communities,” Birge said. “Cocaine overdose death rates have risen significantly in recent years, particularly in the Midwest, and about 1 in 5 overdose deaths involve cocaine. Along with our law enforcement partners, we take cocaine offenses seriously and are invested in disrupting the channels drug-traffickers use to distribute illegal and dangerous drugs in the Western District of Michigan.”
Other defendants include:
- Wilbert Gentry of Houston, TX
- Craig Schenvinsky James of Muskegon
- Quincy Delon Lofton of Detroit
- Ryan Rashad Brown of Wyoming
- Yvette Sheree Brown of Grand Rapids
- Donald Bernard Gardner of Grand Rapids
- Tamara Nelson of Grand Rapids
- Elsie Bridget Boston of Houston, TX
- Martin Luther Dukes of Grand Rapids
- Douglas Emmanuel Carey III of Grand Rapids
- Monica Laster of Grand Rapids
- Nicole Lynn Starr of St. Johns
- Shamekia Liptrot of Grand Rapids
- Carlus Bridgeforth of Grand Rapids
- Martinellus Nix of Grand Rapids
- Demarcus Pinder of Grand Rapids
- Trebarius McGee of Grand Rapids
- Pedro Antonio Mateo of Grand Rapids
- Marvin Quantez Nix of Grand Rapids
- Stephawn McFadden of Grand Rapids
- Troy Jordai Lewis of Grand Rapids
- Jeffrey Allan Dean of Grand Rapids
- Jessica Warren nee Gatica of Grand Rapids
- Taniedra Sade White of Houston, TX
- Salena Kolarich of Columbus, OH
