Six Members of St. Louis Drug Ring Linked to Murders Plead Guilty
ST. LOUIS – Six members of a St. Louis drug ring linked to two murders have pleaded guilty in the last eight days.
In all, 17 defendants were charged in the case, and all have now pleaded guilty.
One of the leaders, Maurice Herbert Lee II, 35, pleaded guilty May 2 to one count of conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute fentanyl, one count of conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine and two counts of conspiracy to possess a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking.
Lee obtained bulk fentanyl and crystal methamphetamine from Juan Jose Francisco Gonzalez in Arizona via Darryl Lennell Moore II. Lee would then dilute the fentanyl and supply it to co-conspirators who at the height of the conspiracy were selling over 20,000 doses per week. Lee supplied the methamphetamine to another person who then redistributed it.
Lee admitted being responsible for between four and 12 kilograms of fentanyl and between 500 grams and 1.5 kilograms of methamphetamine.
Lee’s "runners," who dealt fentanyl for him, were Christopher Jerrin Warlick Jr., Norris Douglas Jr., Mikell Rayford, Sherod Jacolby Tucker, Jerry O. Streeter Jr., Jerome Lamont Fisher Jr., Maricus Davon Futrell and Delvin Bost, according to Lee’s plea agreement.
Some runners were considered to be “muscle,” and would use firearms and violence to protect themselves, the drugs and the money and to intimidate rival gangs and drug distributors. Lee conspired to possess firearms to help protect his operation. His plea says it was well known that there was a bounty of between $5,000 and $15,000 for the murder of any rival gang members or drug dealers.
Ramico Darez James Adams also helped to keep track of the drugs sold and money due and Jalisa Shatavia Johnson would resupply runners and collect money at the end of the day.
Lee admitted two fatal shootings occurred in furtherance of the drug conspiracy.
Lee paid Silas, Warlick and Fisher after Silas and Fischer fatally shot Alexander Noodel on May 8, 2017, Lee’s plea agreement says. The men fired over 100 rounds. Fisher disposed of his weapon, but Silas kept his rifle. That rifle was seized by the St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department in January of 2018 after a high-speed chase. Investigators also found records showing group texts in which they planned the murder.
A witness identified Michael Johnson as the person who fired 25 shots and killed Kevin Davis Jr., 24, on June 30, 2017, in the 1900 block of Belt Avenue in St. Louis after chasing him down the street. Earlier that day, Bost called Lee to confirm that a bounty for Davis was still being offered. Bost later claimed credit, received $10,000 from Lee and then paid Johnson, plea agreements by Lee and Bost say.
Lee faces 10 years to life in prison for each of the drug conspiracy charges and up to 20 years for each of the gun charges at his Aug. 2 sentencing.
Johnson, 30, pleaded guilty May 4 to one count of conspiracy to possess a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking. He admitted in his plea agreement that Davis was fatally shot and that he discharged a firearm in furtherance of the drug conspiracy. He is scheduled to be sentenced Aug. 1.
Fisher pleaded guilty Monday to one count of conspiracy to distribute and possess with the intent to distribute fentanyl and one count of possession of a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking crime resulting in death. He acknowledged Noodel’s death and admitted participating in text messages as the co-conspirators searched for Noodel. He also admitted that the discharge of firearms was committed in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime.
Warlick, 27, also pleaded guilty Monday, to one count of conspiracy to distribute and possess with the intent to distribute fentanyl and one count of possessing and brandishing a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking. He admitted being primarily responsible for diluting the fentanyl for sale and for acting as armed security for the fentanyl dealers. On Nov. 29, 2017, he was armed with a Glock pistol and drove two others, Streeter and Rayford, to a market in Moline Acres. There, Streeter and Rayford opened fire with assault rifles, seriously wounding three people.
Warlick is scheduled to be sentenced Aug. 10 and faces up to 20 years in prison on the drug count and at least seven on the gun charge that must run consecutive to the drug charge.
Bost pleaded guilty Tuesday to conspiracy to possess a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking and possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine. He admitted accepting the murder bounty, selling drugs on Facebook and being caught with methamphetamine on Feb. 11, 2019.
Charles Daniel Guice pleaded guilty Wednesday to receiving guns while under indictment and is scheduled to be sentenced Aug. 10.
Tremayne Silas, 30, of St. Louis, was sentenced in Feb.y to 18 years in prison after pleading guilty in November to a charge of possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime resulting in death. Gonzalez’s sentencing is set for June 7. Moore was sentenced in 2021 to 98 months in prison. Weaver was sentenced in 2022 to 10 years in prison. Tucker was sentenced in 2021 to 80 months in prison. Futrell was sentenced in 2022 to 11 months in prison.
The Drug Enforcement Administration investigated this case with the St. Louis County Police Department and the St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department.
