News Release
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
December 18, 2003

DEC 18—St. Louis, Missouri: The leader of a drug trafficking organization was sentenced to twenty-two years in prison on charges of trafficking heroin and crack cocaine, over a two-year period, in the Dellwood area of St. Louis, William J. Renton, Jr., Special Agent in Charge DEA St. Louis Division and United States Attorney Ray Gruender announced today.

RAZZ EVERETT JORDAN, JR., 25, of the 10000 block of Green Valley Drive, St. Louis, 63136, was sentenced to 264 months in prison, without parole. On September 30, 2003, Jordan pled guilty to one felony count of conspiracy to distribute and possession with intent to distribute heroin and "crack" cocaine. He appeared today for sentencing before Senior United States District Judge Stephen N. Limbaugh.

The investigation into this organization began in late 2001 after officers from the North County Municipal Enforcement Group (MEG) made several purchases of heroin from Jordan at his residence on Green Valley Drive. Further investigation showed that customers for small amounts of heroin would call Jordan and arrange for a purchase. They were instructed to call Jordan when approaching the Green Valley neighborhood. Jordan then conducted business in his front yard. The volume of traffic at Jordan's residence - sometimes as many as twenty customers a day - was observed by neighbors who expressed their concerns about Jordan's activities. Customers for larger amounts of heroin and crack cocaine also negotiated with Jordan over the telephone and either picked up the drugs from Jordan at his residence or met with Jordan at a designation outside the Green Valley neighborhood where they would meet to make the exchange of drugs for money. These purchases of larger amounts were then weighed and repackaged to be distributed to numerous people in the North County/Dellwood area and elsewhere.

William J. Renton, Jr., Special Agent in Charge DEA, St. Louis Division stated, "Jordan and members of his organization were known for extreme violence and intimidation in the conduct of their drug dealing activities. Their convictions and sentencings make the community a safer place." Renton attributed the dismantling of this organization to the combined efforts of state and local agencies who joined forces with DEA, which included St. Louis County, St. Louis Metropolitan and Maryland Heights Police Departments, the St. Charles County Sheriff's Department and especially the Dellwood Police Department. "This is another example of the law enforcement community banding together to target, investigate, arrest, and prosecute those individuals and organizations who chose to engage in violent drug related criminal activity," Renton said. Renton also commended the United States Attorney's Office and the St. Louis County Prosecuting Attorney's Office for their efforts in this case.

The following six co-defendants have previously pled guilty to charges of trafficking heroin and crack cocaine in this case and have been sentenced to prison terms ranging from 8 to 170 months. They are:

COREY L. HOSKINS, 22, of the10100 block of Clairmont, St. Louis, 63136; BRANDON CHRIS MCGAULEY, 19, of the 7300 block of Arrow Wood Court, St. Louis, 63042; TYRONE LAMAR BROWN, 21, of the 10800 block of Glen Gary, St. Louis, 63137; WAYNE ALLEN DISMUKE, JR. 22, Marcel Court, Ferguson, 63135; CARLOS BROWN, 29, of the 3600 block of Hydraulic, St. Louis, 63136 and RONALD PATRICK BANKS, 23, of the 10100 block of Cloverdale, St. Louis, 63136.

With their guilty pleas, Jordon's co-defendants admitted that they served as distributors or middlemen of substantial amounts of heroin and crack cocaine or were brokers for the sources supplying the drugs to Jordan.

Requests for additional information should be directed to Special Agent Shirley A. Armstead, Public Information Officer, at 314-538-4600.