ATLANTA - A federal judge sentenced Elgin Demarco Jordan for heroin and cocaine trafficking and money laundering in connection with a scheme where he used drug proceeds to purchase numerous properties in and around the English Avenue area of Atlanta.
“Jordan victimized this community twice - first by trafficking drugs, and then by using residential properties to conceal the profits from his drug dealing," said U. S. Attorney John Horn. “As part of his sentence, Jordan agreed to forfeit 14 properties, two of which will become homes to community police officers from the Atlanta Police Department as part of the Secure Neighborhoods program. Through this program, the police officers who serve the English Avenue community become not only homeowners, but neighbors."
Daniel R. Salter, the Special Agent in Charge of the DEA Atlanta Field Division stated, “The successful prosecution of this case is indeed a victory for drug law enforcement. The collective efforts in this investigation illustrate the true spirit of cooperative law enforcement here in Atlanta. DEA is committed to keeping our communities safe and ultimately the winners in this investigation are the residents in the English Avenue area."
“Asset forfeiture provides a valuable tool for law enforcement officials, as it is designed to weaken the economic foundations of the illicit drug trade," stated Veronica Hyman-Pillot, Special Agent in Charge, IRS Criminal Investigation. “The forfeiture of Elgin Jordan’s properties is a great example of this tool at work. We are proud to work hand-in-hand with our law enforcement partners and will continue to provide our financial expertise in narcotics investigations."
“In partnership with the U.S. Attorney’s Office, the Atlanta Police Department has removed another dangerous and predatory criminal from the City of Atlanta," said Atlanta Police Chief George N. Turner. “Mr. Jordan’s scheme of using drug money to buy up valuable real estate has backfired and we can now have officers in the English Avenue neighborhood 24 hours a day so the residents in that area will feel safe and protected. The Atlanta Police Department is committed to cracking down on criminal activity and individuals that threaten the safety and quality of life for Atlanta residents and visitors."
“The Atlanta Police Foundation is spearheading a public safety strategy through our Westside Security Plan to address the safety concerns on Atlanta’s Westside," said Dave Wilkinson, President and CEO, Atlanta Police Foundation. “The addition of these two properties to our Secure Neighborhoods program will allow us to provide homeownership opportunities for Atlanta police officers to become residents of the communities they protect and serve."
According to U.S. Attorney Horn, the charges and other information presented in court: From at least February 2010 to July 2015, Elgin Jordan distributed kilogram quantities of cocaine and half-kilogram quantities of heroin using Northwest Atlanta as his base. To conceal the profits from his illegal drug trade, he laundered the money by structuring cash deposits into bank accounts and then used those funds to purchase numerous properties, often with the help and in the name of family members or other individuals. As of July 2015, Jordan controlled properties with a total tax assessed value of approximately $1.5 million, several of which were residential properties in and around the English Avenue area of Atlanta, Georgia.
Federal law allows for the forfeiture of property used to facilitate or commit felony drug offenses, as well as property involved in money laundering. As a part of Jordan’s plea agreement and the judgment in the case, Jordan forfeited his interest in 14 properties he acquired in connection with his crimes.
As a result of a partnership and collaboration between the Department of Justice and community groups, two of the forfeited properties located in the English Avenue neighborhood will be turned over to the Atlanta Police Department and the Atlanta Police Foundation, to be renovated and used to provide homes for Atlanta Police Officers who will help staff the community policing force in the neighborhood.
The goal of the Atlanta Police Foundation’s Secure Neighborhoods Initiative is to improve public safety by placing police in Atlanta neighborhoods through housing opportunities. The initiative offers sworn police officers-who are committed to living in the communities they protect and serve-affordable options, incentives to stay, and clear pathways to homeownership. As individuals from the police department become pillars in their communities, it increases the neighborhood's stability and overall security.
Elgin Demarco Jordan, 42, of Atlanta, Georgia, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Steve C. Jones to eight years in prison to be followed by four years of supervised release. Jordan was convicted on these charges on June 3, 2016, after he pleaded guilty.
This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration, Atlanta Police Department, and Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation.
Assistant United States Attorneys Garrett L. Bradford and Michael J. Brown prosecuted the case.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office in Atlanta recommends parents and children learn about the dangers of drugs at the following web site: www.justthinktwice.com.
For further information please contact the U.S. Attorney’s Public Affairs Office at USAGAN.PressEmails@usdoj.gov or (404) 581-6016. The Internet address for the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Georgia is http://www.justice.gov/usao-ndga.
Source: U.S. Department of Justice, Office of the United States Attorneys
