ASHEVILLE, N.C. – A brazen drug ring operating in Asheville has been dismantled, bringing an end to two years of illicit activity that saw the distribution of heroin, cocaine, crack cocaine, methamphetamine, prescription drugs, and other narcotics.
According to a joint federal, state, and local investigation led by the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), the ring was responsible for trafficking a deadly cocktail of drugs that plagued the streets of Asheville and surrounding areas.
The indictment, which was returned by a federal grand jury on April 2, 2019, and unsealed today, charges eight members of the ring with conspiracy to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute heroin, cocaine, crack cocaine, marijuana, Oxycodone, Adderrall, and Xanax.
The defendants, who are also facing related possession and distribution charges, include Prophet Karim Hadialim Allah, 47, of Leicester, North Carolina; Rodney Dejuan Allison, 43, of Asheville; William Luther Downs, Jr., 26, of Asheville; Harry James Odum, 57, of Asheville; Derrick Maurice Perry, 25, of Asheville; Teresa Day Shuping, 47, of Hickory, North Carolina; Elliot Norris Smith, 25, of Atlanta, Georgia; and Jeffrey Allen Wright, 41, of Leicester.
Over the course of the investigation, law enforcement seized drugs, 12 firearms, and $153,674 in cash. The indictment alleges that the drug ring operated in Asheville and trafficked a variety of narcotics, including heroin, cocaine, crack cocaine, methamphetamine, prescription drugs, and other substances.
U.S. Attorney Andrew Murray commended the law enforcement agencies involved in the investigation, saying, ‘The federal charges against the eight defendants are the result of a joint law enforcement investigation targeting an area of Asheville that has been plagued by drug trafficking and drug-related criminal activity.’
The defendants are each charged with conspiracy to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute heroin, cocaine, crack cocaine, marijuana, Oxycodone, Adderrall, and Xanax. They are also facing related possession and distribution charges.
The charges contained in the indictment are allegations. The defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
In making today’s announcement, U.S. Attorney Murray thanked the DEA, the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations, the Asheville Police Department, the Buncombe County Anti-Crime Task Force, the Buncombe County Sheriff’s Office, the Black Mountain Police Department, and the Wilkes County Sheriff’s Office for leading the investigation.
The eight defendants are each facing serious federal charges, including conspiracy to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute heroin, cocaine, crack cocaine, marijuana, Oxycodone, Adderrall, and Xanax. They are also facing related possession and distribution charges.
The investigation was a joint effort between federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies, and it resulted in the seizure of drugs, 12 firearms, and $153,674 in cash.
The Asheville Police Department is committed to bettering the lives of the residents of Asheville, said Interim Chief Wade Wood. This joint operation addressed an area of our city that has seen an increase in violence and drug-related activity over the course of the past year.
The defendants are facing serious federal charges, including conspiracy to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute heroin, cocaine, crack cocaine, marijuana, Oxycodone, Adderrall, and Xanax. They are also facing related possession and distribution charges.
Five defendants are in custody. Federal arrest warrants have been issued against Perry, Smith, and Shuping.
Key Facts
- State: North Carolina
- Category: Drug Trafficking|Fraud & Financial Crimes|Violent Crime
- Source: DOJ Press Release â†â€â€
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