Two men at the heart of a massive heroin ring in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, have been handed ten years each behind bars by a federal judge. Devontae Horton, 28, from Cedar Rapids, and Sean Jarel Williams, 31, from Chicago, were found guilty of conspiracy to distribute heroin during separate court appearances.
Horton was sentenced on August 27, 2020, following a February 2020 jury trial in which he was convicted of conspiring to distribute at least 100 grams of heroin and distributing the drug. Williams pleaded guilty on January 21, 2020, to conspiracy to distribute at least 1,000 grams of heroin.
The men were part of the notorious “Ferrari” group, whose members used a single phone line known as the “Ferrari phone” for their drug transactions. This hotline saw up to twenty calls per day from people seeking to purchase heroin, generating a steady stream of proceeds for the criminal syndicate.
In October 2018, Horton was stopped by police while trying to flee the scene of a vehicle stop. Found in his pocket were $3,000 in cash, believed to be drug proceeds. He also sold heroin to an undercover source later that month. Williams was similarly apprehended with 350 grams of heroin in his car during a July 2017 traffic stop.
The sentences are part of a broader law enforcement push against the “Ferrari” group. Seven members have been brought to justice so far, including Walter Malano Collins Murray, Jr., Cortez Nelson, Dewon Earl Meeks, Anthony Ricks, Jarel Shawn Williams, and the sentenced Horton and Williams.
United States Attorney Peter Deegan commented on the ongoing fight against opioids in the community. ‘The ‘Ferrari’ group was a menacing source of deadly opioids for too long,’ said Deegan. ‘We will continue to take the fight to the dealers and support those who struggle with addiction.’
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Key Facts
- State: Iowa
- Agency: DOJ USAO
- Category: Drug Trafficking|Organized Crime
- Source: Official Source ↗
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