Four Canton men were sentenced to prison this week for their involvement in a drug-trafficking ring in which cocaine, heroin and crack cocaine was brought into Stark County and distributed by members of the Rated R street gang, said Steven M. Dettelbach, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Ohio, and Stephen D. Anthony, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation’ Cleveland office.
Jasmine Watkins, 29, was sentenced to 20 years in prison.
Virgil Hill, 26, was sentenced to 20 years in prison.
Cordrick Owens, 32, was sentenced to 12 years, 7 months in prison.
Jerry Gordon, 25, was sentenced to 10 years in prison.
All four previously pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute controlled substances (cocaine, crack cocaine and heroin). Watkins also pleaded guilty to being a felon in possession of a firearm, for which he was sentenced to 10 years in prison, to be served concurrently to his 20-year sentence.
“This group is well known to law enforcement for causing serious trouble throughout Canton," Dettelbach said. “These prison sentences will eliminate some of the worst of the worst offenders in Stark County."
Anthony said: “These four sentences wrap up another phase of law enforcements efforts to dismantle drug trafficking groups in our area. The FBI will continue to work side by side with our law enforcement partners to make Canton neighborhoods a safer place to live."
Watkins provided Gordon with shipments of drugs at a home in Columbus and then Gordon and others moved the drugs to a stash house he controlled on Sol Beck NE in Canton. Once there, Gordon distributed the drugs to local dealers, according to court documents.
Hill was identified in court documents as the leader of "Rated R." He and others made large purchases of cocaine from Gordon, according to court documents.
Seventeen people have now been sentenced to prison in this case. They are:
Travis Grant: 10 years, 1 month.
Timothy Bertram: 4 years, 9 months.
Oscar Todd: 10 years, 5 months.
Edward Turpin IV: 10 years.
Perez Antwan Williams: 5 years.
Demond Hill: 10 years, 2 months.
Bennie Woodson: 6 years, 10 months.
Ronald D. Hill: 6 years, 10 months.
John L. Hill: 3 years, 1 month.
Barry Giamourdes: 4 years, 3 months.
Brandon Jones: 10 years.
Lavanya Mayle: 5 years.
Brian Brown: 6 years.
Five others were indicted on federal charges last month for their role in the conspiracy.
This case was being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Linda H. Barr and Vasile C. Katsaros following an investigation by the FBI’s Safe Streets Task Force, which is comprised of the FBI, Canton Police Department, Alliance Police Department, Ohio Adult Parole Authority, Stark County Sheriff’s Office, Massillon Police Department and Perry Police Department.
Source: U.S. Department of Justice, Office of the United States Attorneys
