Central Little Rock Drug Sweep- From the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette
Agencies boast joint effort in drug sweep
Work over several months in LR neighborhood culminates in indictments of 11
BY LINDA SATTER ARKANSAS DEMOCRAT-GAZETTE
Local, regional, state and federal law enforcement agencies Friday used a recent spate of grand jury indictments against suspected drug dealers to tout their multijurisdictional efforts to clamp down on crime.
U.S. Attorney Bud Cummins, flanked by representatives from about 15 agencies, told reporters in his Little Rock office that the indictments of 11 people last month and earlier this week were designed to rid central Arkansas streets and neighborhoods of "knuckleheads that sell drugs."
He said the 11 people ensnared by the multiagency "team effort" began with routine undercover drug buys last summer by Little Rock police officers. He described the 11 people whose pictures and names were displayed on a large placard as members of a group of "neighborhood drug dealers" who "controlled" the area near the intersection of 15th and Oak streets.
The area has been troublesome to police for "a couple dozen years," Little Rock Police Chief Stuart Thomas said. Cummins added that the concentration of crime in the area is "less today than yesterday."
The "top three" people in the drug-selling operation — Robert Brevard, 30, Keon Neeley, 28, and Broderick Chunn, 23, all of Little Rock — have been arrested and are being held without bond, said William J. Bryant, assistant special agent in charge of the federal Drug Enforcement Administration.
All three, who Cummins said have "known gang ties," were the subject of a grand jury indictment handed up last month in the Eastern District of Arkansas. They and the eight indicted Wednesday are jointly charged with conspiracy to possess and distribute crack and powder cocaine.
Bryant said two more people — James Allen and Tara Burks, both 23 and from Little Rock — were arrested Friday morning on federal warrants. Another of the 11 — Allison Mthimkhulu, 24, of Searcy — is in custody in White County on state charges that are expected to be dropped and replaced with federal charges.
During the news conference, Bryant was told that a seventh arrest — of Steven Burks, 20, of Little Rock — had just occurred in California. That leaves four people yet to be arrested on federal warrants charging them in the conspiracy. They were identified as Chiquita Burks, 27, Calvin Brown, 30, Tyrone Jackson, 28, and Ayanna Edwards, 24, all of Little Rock.
If convicted, most of them will face 10 years to life in prison. Neeley and Jackson each face a minimum of 20 years in prison.
Cummins said the case, which is expected to generate more arrests and indictments, involves the distribution of at least 17 /2 ounces of powder cocaine and more than 2 ounces of crack, a concentrated form of the drug.
Bryant said officers have seized $59,000 in cash, about 53 ounces of powder cocaine and about 35 ounces of crack.
Thomas credited the multiagency approach of "Operation Westside," as the case is dubbed, with getting people off the streets in a meaningful way by subjecting them to "federal time," which does not allow for parole. "This is the way business is going to be done," he said.
Agencies that contributed to the joint effort include the Little Rock, North Little Rock, Jacksonville, Cabot and Pine Bluff police departments; the Arkansas State Police; the Arkansas Highway Police; the Pulaski and White County sheriff’s offices and prosecutors’ offices; the Saline County sheriff’s office; the 16th Judicial District Drug Task Force; and the FBI and DEA.
This story was published Saturday, May 07, 2005
Copyright © 2005, Arkansas Democrat-Gazette, Inc.
Work over several months in LR neighborhood culminates in indictments of 11
BY LINDA SATTER ARKANSAS DEMOCRAT-GAZETTE
Local, regional, state and federal law enforcement agencies Friday used a recent spate of grand jury indictments against suspected drug dealers to tout their multijurisdictional efforts to clamp down on crime.
U.S. Attorney Bud Cummins, flanked by representatives from about 15 agencies, told reporters in his Little Rock office that the indictments of 11 people last month and earlier this week were designed to rid central Arkansas streets and neighborhoods of "knuckleheads that sell drugs."
He said the 11 people ensnared by the multiagency "team effort" began with routine undercover drug buys last summer by Little Rock police officers. He described the 11 people whose pictures and names were displayed on a large placard as members of a group of "neighborhood drug dealers" who "controlled" the area near the intersection of 15th and Oak streets.
The area has been troublesome to police for "a couple dozen years," Little Rock Police Chief Stuart Thomas said. Cummins added that the concentration of crime in the area is "less today than yesterday."
The "top three" people in the drug-selling operation — Robert Brevard, 30, Keon Neeley, 28, and Broderick Chunn, 23, all of Little Rock — have been arrested and are being held without bond, said William J. Bryant, assistant special agent in charge of the federal Drug Enforcement Administration.
All three, who Cummins said have "known gang ties," were the subject of a grand jury indictment handed up last month in the Eastern District of Arkansas. They and the eight indicted Wednesday are jointly charged with conspiracy to possess and distribute crack and powder cocaine.
Bryant said two more people — James Allen and Tara Burks, both 23 and from Little Rock — were arrested Friday morning on federal warrants. Another of the 11 — Allison Mthimkhulu, 24, of Searcy — is in custody in White County on state charges that are expected to be dropped and replaced with federal charges.
During the news conference, Bryant was told that a seventh arrest — of Steven Burks, 20, of Little Rock — had just occurred in California. That leaves four people yet to be arrested on federal warrants charging them in the conspiracy. They were identified as Chiquita Burks, 27, Calvin Brown, 30, Tyrone Jackson, 28, and Ayanna Edwards, 24, all of Little Rock.
If convicted, most of them will face 10 years to life in prison. Neeley and Jackson each face a minimum of 20 years in prison.
Cummins said the case, which is expected to generate more arrests and indictments, involves the distribution of at least 17 /2 ounces of powder cocaine and more than 2 ounces of crack, a concentrated form of the drug.
Bryant said officers have seized $59,000 in cash, about 53 ounces of powder cocaine and about 35 ounces of crack.
Thomas credited the multiagency approach of "Operation Westside," as the case is dubbed, with getting people off the streets in a meaningful way by subjecting them to "federal time," which does not allow for parole. "This is the way business is going to be done," he said.
Agencies that contributed to the joint effort include the Little Rock, North Little Rock, Jacksonville, Cabot and Pine Bluff police departments; the Arkansas State Police; the Arkansas Highway Police; the Pulaski and White County sheriff’s offices and prosecutors’ offices; the Saline County sheriff’s office; the 16th Judicial District Drug Task Force; and the FBI and DEA.
This story was published Saturday, May 07, 2005
Copyright © 2005, Arkansas Democrat-Gazette, Inc.
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