Kingpin and all members of the ongoing Birmingham-based criminal enterprise are convicted of conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine, heroin, fentanyl and cocaine. USAO-NDAL

BIRMINGHAM – A federal jury convicted a Bessemer man on Monday charged under the Kingpin Act, and three other defendants, charged with operating an ongoing criminal enterprise involved in the large-scale distribution of illegal drugs, U.S. Attorney Prim F. Escalona, ​​Special Agent for the Federal Bureau of Investigation in charge Johnnie Sharp, Jr., and Atlanta Internal Revenue Service (IRS-CI) Criminal Investigations Special Agent James E. Dorsey.

After a week-long trial before U.S. District Court Judge Annmarie C. Axon, a jury was found guilty Rolando Antuain Williamson also known as “Baldhead” and “Ball Head”, 37, Bessemer, Alabama, to run an ongoing multi-million dollar criminal enterprise. Williamson, Adrian Hiram Taylor, also known as “Slim”, 34, of Bessemer, Alabama, Ishmywel Calid Gregory, also known as “C”, 38, of Mulga, Alabama, and Hendarius Lamar Archie, also known as “Hen”, 33, of Bessemer, Alabama, were convicted of conspiracy to distribute and possession with intent to distribute heroin, fentanyl, cocaine, methamphetamine and marijuana. Williamson, Taylor, Gregory and Archie were all convicted of distributing or possessing with intent to distribute heroin, fentanyl, cocaine, methamphetamine and marijuana. Williamson and Archie have been convicted of using, carrying or possessing a firearm during or in pursuit of a drug trafficking felony. Williamson and Taylor were convicted of multiple counts of using a means of communication to commit a crime of drug trafficking.

With today’s verdict, all 18 people charged in the indictment issued on October 29, 2019 have now been convicted. The convictions are the result of a three-year investigation by the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (“OECDTF”) of the West Jefferson County-based drug trafficking business. The investigation identified acts committed as part of the conspiracy over a six-year period. Prior to trial, 14 of the accused defendants pleaded guilty. Seven members of the criminal enterprise have been convicted and the remaining defendants are awaiting sentencing.

The OECDTF agencies involved in this investigation are the FBI, IRS, FBI member agencies North Alabama Safe Streets Task Force, Bessemer Police Department, and Jefferson County Sheriff’s Department.

The North Alabama Street Safety Task Force arrested Williams on the morning of August 22, 2019 in the parking lot of a grocery store in Homewood, Alabama. Williamson was driving a 2016 Dodge Hellcat worth $80,000. At the time of the arrest, Williamson was in possession of two loaded pistols (with additional loaded magazines) and nearly $14,000 in cash. All other members of the conspiracy were arrested on or around November 13, 2019.

At the time of Williamson’s arrest, law enforcement also seized from Williamson and three of his hideouts, 366 grams of heroin/fentanyl, 109 grams of suspected cocaine, 573 grams of pure methamphetamine, 52 kilograms of marijuana, over $97,000 in cash, multiple firearms and over 1,700 cartridges.

“This verdict should send a message to those who engage in violent crime and the distribution of deadly drugs in our communities,” U.S. Attorney Escalona said. “The investigation and prosecution of violent crime continues to be our top priority. I commend our law enforcement partners for their tireless efforts to ensure these accused are brought to justice.

“Removing this ‘kingpin’ and the dangerous drugs he and his criminal enterprise have been peddling will undoubtedly save lives and families from the pain of addiction,” SAC Sharp said. “This sentence reflects the severity of Williamson’s actions, and he will have decades in prison to consider the impact of his decisions. This case highlights the shared commitment, dedication and partnership between our enforcement partners. of the law in the fight against drug trafficking in our community.

“Jefferson County Sheriff’s Deputies assigned to the FBI’s Street Safety Task Force worked cooperatively with the FBI and other participating agencies during this 3-year investigation,” Sheriff Pettway said. “Illegal drug trafficking ruins hundreds of lives in Jefferson County each year. We are proud to have helped disrupt the trade and distribution of these illegal narcotics in western Jefferson County. By working in unison with our fellow local and federal agencies, we are able to share and act on critical intelligence that is imperative to shutting down these types of operations. This case is an example of how these agencies working together successfully disrupted a large-scale drug operation. We look forward to continuing these valuable partnerships against crime.

As a convicted “Kingpin”, Williamson faces a mandatory life sentence. taylor faces a mandatory minimum sentence of twenty-five years to life in prison. Gregory faces a maximum of thirty years in prison. Archie faces a mandatory minimum sentence of five to forty years in prison.

Forfeiture was obtained for two high-end Williamson vehicles: a $46,000 Ford F-250 “King’s Ranch” and a $37,000 Cadillac Escalade; more than $100,000 in cash; $45,000 in jewelry; and all firearms and ammunition used to facilitate the drug trafficking business.

The Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Internal Revenue Service investigated the case along with the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office and the Bessemer Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jonathan S. Cross and Gregory R. Dimler are prosecuting the case.

This investigation is part of the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OECDTF). The OECDTF is an independent component of the US Department of Justice. Established in 1982, the OECDTF is the centerpiece of the Attorney General’s strategy to combat transnational organized crime and reduce the availability of illicit narcotics in the country using a multi-agency prosecutor-led approach. The OECDTF leverages the resources and expertise of its partners in focused, coordinated and long-term corporate investigations of transnational organized crime, money laundering and major drug trafficking networks.