U.S. Attorney Kenneth L. Parker | U.S. Department of Justice
A Columbus man has been found guilty by a federal jury on all charges, including the murder of three individuals as part of a narcotics conspiracy. Larry J. Williams, Jr., also known as "J Streets" and "J", was convicted on 16 counts following a trial before U.S. District Judge Michael H. Watson.
Williams led a narcotics operation in 2018 that aimed to rob a local marijuana dealer, resulting in multiple murders. He murdered Connor Reynolds during the robbery at a drug premises on June 27, 2018. To conceal this crime, Williams later killed Henry Watson and Tera Pennington to prevent them from informing law enforcement or acting as witnesses.
After the murders, Williams directed others to clean the crime scene and dismember two of the bodies for burial elsewhere. His residence was used for selling various drugs, where overdoses occurred frequently.
In total, 13 defendants have been charged in this case. Williams was convicted of several crimes including conspiracy to distribute controlled substances, multiple counts of murder related to drug trafficking and violence, obstruction of justice, and possession with intent to distribute drugs.
HSI Detroit Special Agent in Charge Angie M. Salazar stated: “We hope this verdict brings closure to the victims’ families and serves as a significant step towards justice for our Ohio communities.” She acknowledged the efforts of law enforcement agencies involved in investigating this case over five years.
Williams faces life imprisonment as his mandatory sentence. The sentencing will be determined at a future court hearing based on advisory guidelines.
The announcement of today's verdict was made by Kenneth L. Parker, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio; Angie M. Salazar; Franklin County Sheriff Dallas Baldwin; and Columbus Police Chief Elaine Bryant. The investigation received support from several agencies including the Ohio Bureau of Criminal Investigation (BCI) and others.
