Two convicted killers with blood on their hands are back in the crosshairs of federal law enforcement, this time for flooding Canton streets with meth, crack, and cocaine. Maurice A. Stewart, 39, and William W. Moore, 37, both previously convicted of homicide, were hit with a seven-count indictment that paints a picture of armed, repeat offenders operating above the law.
The indictment accuses Stewart and Moore of possessing with intent to distribute at least 500 grams of a drug mixture containing methamphetamine, cocaine, and crack cocaine. But the charges go beyond trafficking: both men are also charged with using firearms in furtherance of drug trafficking crimes — a federal offense that carries a mandatory minimum sentence of five years, stacked on top of others.
Moore, convicted of murder in Michigan back in 2000, was charged with being a felon in possession of a firearm after allegedly wielding a Glock model 23 handgun, a Smith and Wesson SD9 handgun, and ammunition on November 17, 2016. Stewart, whose 2002 involuntary manslaughter conviction in Franklin County should have barred him from firearms, faces the same charge for allegedly possessing the same arsenal on the same day.
A third man, Jason E. Cousins, 45, also of Canton, was indicted on a single count of being a felon in possession of a firearm. Records show Cousins was convicted in 2006 in Summit County on charges of cocaine possession and carrying a concealed weapon. The indictment alleges he possessed a Windham Weaponry AR-15 and a Mossberg 12-gauge shotgun — weapons far from the hands of any legal civilian, let alone a documented felon.
The feds aren’t just after prison time — they’re coming for everything. The indictment includes a forfeiture count targeting all recovered firearms and ammunition, a set of Bullet Safe body armor, and $10,904 in cash — likely proceeds from the drug trade. The seizure effort sends a clear message: profit from crime, lose it all.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Aaron P. Howell, following a coordinated investigation by the U.S. Marshals Fugitive Task Force, the Canton Police Department, the FBI’s Canton office, and the DEA’s Akron office. If convicted, Stewart, Moore, and Cousins face sentences determined by the court, weighing criminal history, role in the offense, and statutory limits. One thing remains: an indictment is not a conviction — but for men with their pasts, the courtroom may feel like a familiar sentence.
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Key Facts
- State: Ohio
- Agency: DOJ USAO
- Category: Drug Trafficking|Weapons|Violent Crime|Organized Crime
- Source: Official Source ↗
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