United States Drug Enforcement Administration

CHICAGO – Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) Special Agent in Charge Robert J. Bell, Chicago Division, announced that Pierre Riley, 52, Macon, Georgia was sentenced on November 6, 2020, in the Southern District of Indiana for his role in a large drug trafficking ring that operated in Kokomo, Indiana.  Mr. Riley was sentenced to 490 months in federal prison.

From the fall of 2017 to May 1, 2018, the DEA Indianapolis District Office, Internal Revenue Service (IRS) Criminal Investigation, and the Kokomo Police Department conducted an extensive wiretap investigation that resulted in federal charges against 15 defendants, to include Mr. Riley of Macon, Georgia.  Mr. Riley was the last defendant to be sentenced in this investigation - which resulted in an average federal prison term of over 20 years for all defendants.

The investigation revealed that Mr. Riley was obtaining large quantities of methamphetamine and cocaine in Atlanta, GA.  Mr. Riley would then utilize female bus couriers to deliver the drugs to co-conspirator Reggie Balentine (504 month sentence) for further distribution in the Kokomo area by Michael O’Bannon (450 month sentence), Michael Jones (420 month sentence) and Shaun Myers (300 month sentence) as well as others.

The investigation garnered the seizure of 17 pounds of methamphetamine, two pounds of cocaine, two ounces of heroin, 122 grams of fentanyl, 24 firearms and $37,000 in drug proceeds.

In October 2019, Mr. Riley pled guilty to charges, including conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute and to distribute controlled substances, conspiracy to use interstate commerce in the commission of murder-for-hire, and conspiracy to launder monetary instruments.

DEA Assistant Special Agent in Charge Michael Gannon said, “The 40-year prison sentence for Mr. Riley is a big win for the fine citizens of Kokomo.  For years, he flooded the streets of Kokomo with drugs.  Additionally, Mr. Riley orchestrated a plan to kill an individual in a murder-for-hire plot, which would have likely succeeded if not for the work of the Kokomo Police Department, the DEA and the United States Attorney’s Office.  The DEA and its local, state and federal partners are committed to holding accountable the most violent individuals in our communities.” 

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