Chicago Crack Dealer Gets 14+ Years

SIOUX CITY, IA – Christopher Ward-Malone, a 23-year-old hailing from the streets of Chicago, Illinois, will spend the next 14 years and 2 months behind bars for his role in a significant crack cocaine distribution network operating in Iowa. The sentence, handed down March 26, 2013, by United States District Court Judge Mark W. Bennett, sends a clear message: moving poison across state lines carries a hefty price.

Ward-Malone pleaded guilty October 29, 2012, to one count of conspiracy to distribute crack cocaine, admitting to peddling over 280 grams of the highly addictive drug between 2010 and June 2012. The operation wasn’t small-time; Ward-Malone wasn’t just a street-level dealer. He was sourcing his supply from both Sioux City, Iowa, and Omaha, Nebraska, then funneling it onto the streets of Sioux City.

The feds weren’t fooled. Assistant United States Attorney Shawn S. Wehde successfully prosecuted the case, built on a solid investigation by the Tri-State Drug Task Force. This wasn’t a solo operation for Ward-Malone, but authorities haven’t yet revealed details regarding other players involved. Expect more indictments to come.

The 170-month sentence isn’t just about time served. Ward-Malone was also slapped with a $100 special assessment and will face a five-year term of supervised release upon his eventual exit from prison. Forget about early release – there’s no parole in the federal system. He’s currently in the custody of the United States Marshals, awaiting transport to a designated federal facility.

The Tri-State Drug Task Force is a multi-agency beast, comprised of officers from the Drug Enforcement Administration, Sioux City Police Department, Homeland Security Investigations, Woodbury County Sheriff’s Office, South Sioux City Police Department, Nebraska State Patrol, Iowa National Guard, Iowa Division of Narcotics Enforcement, United States Marshals Service, South Dakota Division of Criminal Investigation, and the Woodbury County Attorney’s Office. This case demonstrates the power of interagency cooperation in dismantling drug operations.

For those interested in digging deeper, court file information is publicly accessible at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl, under case file number 12-4068. Grimy Times will continue to monitor this case and report on any further developments. This conviction is just one small victory in the never-ending war on drugs, a war that continues to ravage communities across the nation.

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