Larry J. Williams, Jr., Murder and Drug Conspiracy, Ohio 2021
COLUMBUS, Ohio - A federal jury has convicted Larry J. Williams, Jr., also known as 'J Streets' and 'J', 43, of murdering three victims as part of a narcotics conspiracy to rob a local marijuana dealer of drugs and cash.
Williams was found guilty of all 16 counts as charged against him in a second superseding indictment in September 2021.
The verdict was announced today following a three-week trial before U.S. District Judge Michael H. Watson.
According to court documents and trial testimony, Williams was a leader of a narcotics conspiracy in 2018 to rob a local marijuana dealer of drugs and cash in his residence, which ultimately resulted in the shooting death of another person within that house. To cover up for this murder, Williams murdered a man and a woman with knowledge of the first murder.
Williams had solicited others in the conspiracy to learn of potential drug traffickers to rob of their drugs and drug proceeds.
As a result, on June 27, 2018, defendants robbed at gunpoint a drug premises at 847 E.N. Broadway in Columbus. The coconspirators planned and carried out the robbery to steal one of the resident's marijuana and cash and then profit from the sale of the drugs; they recruited Williams to help in the robbery. During the robbery, Williams murdered a different individual present at the residence, Connor Reynolds, a 23-year-old from Grove City.
In August 2018, Williams then murdered Henry Watson, a 52-year-old from Columbus, to prevent him from providing information regarding Connor Reynolds's murder to law enforcement.
On the same day, and immediately following the murder of Henry Watson, Williams murdered Tera Pennington, a 48-year-old from Columbus, to prevent her from serving as a witness to the previous crimes.
Williams then instructed individuals to clean the crime scene with bleach and other chemicals. Williams conspired to obstruct justice by concealing the bodies of Henry Watson and Tera Pennington. He directed others to dismember and remove the bodies from the crime scene and bury the victims' remains at a different location.
Williams used the residence at 121 Stevens Ave. as a drug premises to sell fentanyl, heroin, methamphetamine, and cocaine and allow addicts to use narcotics. On more than one occasion, users overdosed in the basement of the home and coconspirators provided Narcan to revive the users.
A total of 13 defendants have been charged in this case.
Williams was found guilty today of:
- Conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute controlled substances
- Murder related to drug trafficking crime
- Robbery
- Murder related to crime of violence (3 counts)
- Conspiracy to destroy evidence
- Murder of a witness (2 counts)
- Obstruction of justice
- Conspiracy to obstruct justice
- Conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute cocaine, methamphetamine, fentanyl, heroin
- Possession with intent to distribute cocaine, methamphetamine, fentanyl, heroin
- Possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime
- Possession with intent to distribute fentanyl
- Distribution of cocaine
The verdict was announced today following a three-week trial.
According to the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Southern District of Ohio, the case was investigated by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement's Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Detroit and the Franklin County Sheriff's Office.
HSI Special Agent in Charge Angie M. Salazar said, 'We hope this verdict brings closure to the victims' families and serves as a significant step towards justice for our Ohio communities.'
Larry J. Williams, Jr. is scheduled to be sentenced at a later date.
Key Facts
- State: Ohio
- Category: Drug Trafficking|Violent Crime
- Source: DOJ Press Release â†â€â€
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