Four Chicago men have been arrested on federal drug charges for allegedly operating a busy heroin trade in the Douglas neighborhood on the city’s South Side.
A joint federal and state investigation, led by the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration and the Chicago Police Department, revealed that the defendants were selling heroin via a shared cellular phone number known as the “Vanna White Line.”
Individuals wishing to purchase heroin would call the Vanna White Line to place an order, and the defendants would arrange to meet the customer to conduct the transaction, according to a criminal complaint filed in U.S. District Court in Chicago.
The drug deals would often take place in the 3500 block of South Calumet Avenue and other parts of the Douglas neighborhood, the complaint states. Over a six-month period in 2016, there were approximately 193,720 calls to the Vanna White Line, according to the complaint.
The federal defendants, JOSEPH THOMPSON, 33, MARIO COOPER, 28, DEWAYNE BOLDEN, 26, and DEVANTE REED, 23, were arrested Thursday. They are each charged with conspiracy to possess a controlled substance with the intent to distribute.
The federal drug conspiracy charge carries a minimum sentence of five years in prison and a maximum of 40 years. If convicted, the Court must impose a reasonable sentence under federal statutes and the advisory United States Sentencing Guidelines.
Related Federal Cases
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- Deauntee Q. Mosby, Heroin Trafficking, Illinois 2017 · Illinois
- Joseph Thompson, Heroin Trafficking, Illinois 2024 · Illinois
- Xzavior Smith, Drug Trafficking and Gun Possession, Illinois 2021 · Illinois
- Jovon C. Dolly, Distribution of Heroin, Illinois 2016 · Illinois
Key Facts
- State: Illinois
- Category: Drug Trafficking
- Source: DOJ Press Release â†â€â€
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