FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
NEWS RELEASE
August 18, 2015
For More Information, contact:
Luther Strange
Mike Lewis (334) 353-2199
Alabama Attorney General
Joy Patterson (334) 242-7491
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AG STRANGE ANNOUNCES 13 STATE INDICTMENTS
IN MAJOR JOINT FEDERAL-STATE-LOCAL INVESTIGATION
(MONTGOMERY)–Attorney General Luther Strange announced the arrests today of
13 defendants who face state drug conspiracy charges in a major joint investigation by state,
federal and local law enforcement. The investigation also netted additional defendants who
face federal drug charges.
A group of agencies conducted an extensive five-month investigation into an alleged
drug trafficking network in Montgomery. Evidence was gathered through wiretaps and
surveillance from February to June of 2015, resulting in state and federal indictments.
“I am pleased that this operation makes our community safer for the citizens of
Montgomery,” said Attorney General Strange. “These defendants are alleged to have
committed dangerous drug crimes that devastate our society. I would like to thank our
fellow agencies for their invaluable assistance: the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration,
the State Bureau of Investigation, the Alabama Fusion Center, the Montgomery Police
Department, the Prattville Police Department, the Lowndes County Sheriff’s Office,
Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office, Autauga County Sheriff’s Office, the U.S. Bureau of
Alcohol Tobacco and Firearms, the U.S. Marshals Service and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for
the Middle District of Alabama. The indictments announced today are an excellent example
of how teamwork from across the spectrum of law enforcement can make our community
safer from the scourge of illegal drugs
Attorney General Strange’s Criminal Trials Division presented evidence to a
Montgomery County grand jury resulting in indictments* on August 3 charging the
following individuals with conspiring to violate Alabama’s Anti-Drug Trafficking Enterprise
Act:
*An indictment or warrant is merely an accusation. The defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
–more –
501 Washington Avenue * Montgomery, AL 36104 * (334) 242-7300
www.ago.state.al.us Page 2 of 3
- Reginald Bernard James, also known as “Og,” 38;
- Richard Lashalazaar Gibson, also known as “Rock,”24;
- Samuel Darell Patterson, also known as “Mook,”37;
- Shaffer Larvel Wright, 39;
- Stacy Audrice Toney, 27;
- Tyrone Demond Foxall, 36;
- Vashun Lavon Traywick, also known as “Newtown Po Show,” “Po Show” or “Po,” 36;
- Harry Peoples, also known as “Mitt” or “Mitch,”64;
- Darron Lamar Wright, 33;
- Craig Edward Johnson, also known as “Pop,”36;
- Courtland Lenard Reeves, also known as “C,” 44;
- Antonio Lydell Lewis, also known as “Thrilla Man” or “Nino,” 31;
- and Wilbert Aaron Brooks, also known as “Sugar Lump” or “Lump,”54.
Conspiracy to violate Alabama’s Anti-Drug Trafficking Enterprise Act is a class A
felony, with a mandatory minimum sentence of 25 years to life without parole and a fine of
not less than $50,000 or more than $500,000.
Additionally, Latoya Ware of Montgomery was arrested today on a warrant* for three
felonies relating to this case: violating the grand jury secrecy act (one count) and lying to an
Attorney General’s Agent (two counts).
No further information about the investigation or about the defendants’ alleged crimes
other than that stated in the indictment may be released at this time.
For information about the federal indictments, contact the U.S. Attorney’s Office for
the Middle District of Alabama.
The agencies involved in this operation are the U.S. Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA),
the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency’s State Bureau of Investigation, the Alabama Fusion
Center, the Montgomery Police Department, the Prattville Police Department, the Lowndes
County Sheriff’s Office, Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office and Autauga County Sheriff’s
Office, the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco and Firearms, the U.S. Marshals Service, the
Attorney General’s Office and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Middle District. The
operation was conducted under the federal High Intensity Drug Trafficking Areas program,
or HITDA, which is administered by the DEA. HIDTA is designed to foster cooperation
between federal, state and local law enforcement agencies in sharing information of illegal
drug activity and coordinating enforcement of anti-drug laws.
Attorney General Strange commended his Criminal Trials Division, noting in
particular Assistant Attorney General John Kachelman, and Special Agents of his
Investigations Division. He thanked all the agencies involved in this cooperative effort, Page 3 of 3 including the Montgomery County District Attorney’s Office which will assist with the state
prosecutions.
