St. Louis, MO - TORRANCE COTTON was convicted late Thursday of charges involving a conspiracy to distribute large amounts of cocaine in the St. Louis area.
Testimony at trial revealed that beginning in late summer 2012, Torrance L. Cotton began supplying cocaine to co-defendant David Frazier, who in turn supplied it to co-defendant Jeremy Poe. According to the testimony, the exchanges of drugs and money took place at a business located on South Broadway in St. Louis where both Torrance Cotton and David Frazier were employees. On Jan. 11, 2013, co-defendant Jeremy Poe was arrested after agreeing to sell a kilogram of cocaine to a government informant. Subsequent search warrants at addresses associated with Jeremy Poe yielded an additional 1.5 kilograms of cocaine, along with a blender, scale, cutting agent and a press. On Jan. 18, 2013, agents seized a kilogram of cocaine from co-defendant David Frazier’s kitchen. Torrance Cotton’s fingerprints were later located on the packaging of that kilogram of cocaine.
Cotton, Florissant, was convicted after a four-day trial before United States District Judge John A. Ross. Sentencing has been set for June 2014.
Ten co-defendants have entered guilty pleas to related charges, have been sentenced or are awaiting sentencing.
Cotton now faces a penalty range of ten years to life in prison. In determining the actual sentences, a Judge is required to consider the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines, which provide recommended sentencing ranges.
This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration.
Source: U.S. Department of Justice, Office of the United States Attorneys
