Wifredo A. Ferrer, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Florida, A.D. Wright, Special Agent in Charge, Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), Miami Field Office, and Ric Bradshaw, Sheriff, Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office, (PBSO) announce the filing of federal charges against 9 defendants for their alleged participation in conspiracies to distribute controlled substances, specifically marijuana and cocaine, in and around Palm Beach County. The defendants have been charged in a single indictment in the matter of United States v. Herbert Grant, et. al., 16-CR-80030-Marra.
The federal indictment charges Herbert Grant, a/k/a “Earl Fleming," a/k/a “Devon Breen," a/k/a/ “Robert Breen," a/k/a “Earl Flinn," a/k/a “Dwayne," 36, of Boynton Beach, Ricardo Simpson, a/k/a “Radio," a/k/a “Ricky," a/k/a “Tippa," 39, of Boynton Beach, Gavin McLaren, 32, of West Palm Beach, Marvin Belton, a/k/a “Trinni," a/k/a “Damian Henry," 45, of Los Angeles, California, and Rohando Morris, a/k/a “Tampa Man," 36, of Bradenton, for their alleged participation in a marijuana distribution conspiracy. The indictment also charges Grant, McLaren, Ricardo Mills, a/k/a “Tuggy," 35, of Lauderhill, Lorenzo Walker, 34, of Royal Palm Beach, Erick Morgan, a/k/a “E," 37, Riviera Beach, and Sheldon Ralph Turner, 34, of West Palm Beach for their alleged participation in a cocaine distribution conspiracy.
The indictment alleges that Grant, Simpson, McLaren, Belton, and Morris conspired to distribute marijuana from as early as July 2014 and continuing to March 2015, in Palm Beach County, in the Southern District of Florida, and other locations, and that Grant, McLaren, Mills, Walker, Morgan, and Turner conspired to distribute cocaine from as early as January of 2015 and continuing to April 28, 2015, in Palm Beach County and other locations, both conspiracies were committed in violation of Title 21, United States Code, Sections 841(a)(1) and 846.
In addition to the conspiracy charges, a number of defendants were also indicted for possession with intent to distribute marijuana, in various amounts, up to 100 kilograms or more, and cocaine, in various amounts, up to five hundred grams or more, in violation of Title 21, United States Code, Section 841(a)(1).
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Herbert Grant was charged with possession with intent to distribute less than fifty kilograms of marijuana on Oct. 25, December 8, and December 8-10 of 2014, and 50 kilograms or more of marijuana on December 7, 2014. Grant was also charged with possession with intent to distribute 500 grams or more of cocaine on Feb. 25, 2015, and less than 500 grams of cocaine on March 3, 2015 and April 28, 2015.
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Rohando Morris was charged with possession with intent to distribute 50 kilograms or more of marijuana on December 7, 2014.
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Ricardo Simpson was charged with possession with intent to distribute 50 kilograms or more of marijuana on December 7, 2014, and less than 50 kilograms of marijuana on December 8, 2014.
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Gavin McLaren was charged with attempted possession with intent to distribute 50 kilograms or more of marijuana on December 7, 2015. McLaren was also charged with possession with intent to distribute 500 grams or more of cocaine on Feb. 25, 2015.
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Marvin Belton was charged with possession with intent to distribute marijuana from December 8, 2014 through Dec. 10, 2014.
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Sheldon Ralph Turner was charged with possession with intent to distribute 500 grams or more of cocaine on Feb. 25, 2015.
During the course of the investigation, law enforcement seized a significant amount of marijuana and cocaine.
This case was the result of the ongoing efforts by the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF), a partnership between federal, state and local law enforcement agencies. The OCDETF mission is to identify, investigate, and prosecute high level members of drug trafficking enterprises, bringing together the combined expertise and unique abilities of federal, state and local law enforcement.
The federal indictment is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Brandy Brentari Galler.
If convicted in federal court, the defendants face the following possible statutory sentences: a mandatory minimum of five years and up to forty years in prison for the conspiracy to distribute more than 100 kilograms of marijuana and/or 500 grams or more of cocaine; twenty years in prison for the conspiracy to distribute and/or possession with intent to distribute 50 kilograms or more of marijuana and/or less than 500 grams of cocaine; and up to five years in prison for the conspiracy to distribute and/or possession with intent to distribute less than 50 kilograms of marijuana.
Mr. Ferrer commended the collaborative efforts of the OCDETF law enforcement agencies that assisted with this multi-faceted investigation, including the DEA, Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office Narcotics Task Force and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations (ICE-HSI).
An indictment is only an accusation and a defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Southern District of Florida at www.flsd.uscourts.gov
Source: U.S. Department of Justice, Office of the United States Attorneys
