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St. Louis Man Admits to Heroin Conspiracy
Michael L. Hester, a 38-year-old St. Louis man, pleaded guilty to his role in a heroin conspiracy that spanned from September 1, 2012, to April 3, 2017. According to court documents, Hester and his co-conspirators purchased heroin in Chicago and St. Louis, then transported it to the Springfield area by vehicle.
As part of the conspiracy, Hester admitted to personally transporting heroin from St. Louis to Springfield and supplying mid-level heroin dealers, including co-defendant Kenneth M. Smith, 60, of Springfield. Hester also admitted to distributing heroin to an undercover law enforcement officer on several occasions.
Smith, a mid-level heroin dealer, had multiple suppliers of heroin, including Hester and co-defendants Roosevelt Simpson, 60, and Najee Boston, 37, both of Springfield. Smith would in turn supply other mid-level heroin dealers, including co-defendant Antonio J. Jones, 43, of Springfield.
Hester, Smith, Simpson, Boston, and Jones are among six defendants to plead guilty in this case. Co-defendant Romele E. Freeman, 53, of Springfield, also pleaded guilty and awaits sentencing.
Under federal statutes, Hester is subject to a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years in federal prison without parole, up to a sentence of life in federal prison without parole. The maximum statutory sentence is prescribed by Congress and is provided here for informational purposes, as the sentencing of the defendant will be determined by the court based on the advisory sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors.
A sentencing hearing will be scheduled after the completion of a presentence investigation by the United States Probation Office. This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Nhan D. Nguyen, with the assistance of the Drug Enforcement Administration, Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), the Missouri State Highway Patrol, and the Springfield Police Department.
Key Facts
- State: Missouri
- Category: Drug Trafficking|Fraud & Financial Crimes|Violent Crime
- Source: DOJ Press Release â†â€â€
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