ST. LOUIS — Several members of a St. Louis drug operation linked to two murders have pleaded guilty to their roles within the past eight days.
According to a press release from the Office of the United States Attorney Eastern District of Missouri, a total of 17 people involved in the drug ring have now all pleaded guilty.
Maurice Herbert Lee II, 35, who was one of the leaders, pleaded guilty on May 2 to one count each of conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute fentanyl and methamphetamine, and two counts of conspiracy to possess a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking.
The other five defendants who pleaded guilty in recent days are Michael Johnson, Jerome Lamont Fisher Jr., Jerrin Warlick Jr., Delvin Bost and Charles Daniel Guice.
According to the attorney's office, Lee obtained a large amount of fentanyl and crystal meth from drug traffickers in Arizona and diluted and supplied it to drug dealers who were selling over 20,000 doses a week in St. Louis. Lee supplied the meth to another person who then sold it.
Lee told law enforcement he was responsible for about four to 12 kilograms of fentanyl and 500 grams to 1.5 kilos of meth, according to the release.
About eight drug members were working for Lee as “runners” who sold fentanyl and collected money from sales at the end of each day. Some runners were also considered “muscle,” which means they sold drugs armed and protected to bully other rival drug gangs.
According to Lee's plea agreement, his runners were Christopher Jerrin Warlick Jr., Norris Douglas Jr., Mikell Rayford, Sherod Jacolby Tucker, Jerry O. Streeter Jr., Jerome Lamont Fisher Jr., Maricus Davon Futrell and Delvin Bost.
Lee's plea said that it was "well known" that there were bounties of between $5,000 to $15,000 for murder of any rival gang members or dealers, the attorney's office said. Lee also admitted to two fatal shootings during the drug operation, saying he paid people to kill two men in 2017.
One victim was identified as Alexander Noodel, who died after over 100 rounds were fired at him. He was killed by three members of the gang.
St. Louis police managed to seize one of the weapons used in Noodel's murder the following year during a high-speed chase. Investigators with St. Louis police also found group messages between the members that described the premeditated plans to kill Noodel.
The other victim was identified as Kevin Davis Jr., 24, who died after 25 shots were fired at him. Michael Johnson, 30, a gang member who a witness identified as the shooter, received $10,000 for Davis’ bounty.
Johnson also pleaded guilty in early May to one count of conspiracy to possess a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking. He admitted to law enforcement that he killed Davis. Johnson’s sentencing is set for August 1.
Lee faces a decade to the rest of his life behind bars for each drug conspiracy charge. He also faces up to an additional 20 years for each gun charge. Lee’s sentencing date is set for August 2.
Of the defendants who pleaded guilty within the past eight days, some have been sentenced already to several years in prison while others also await sentencing dates in August.
