Date: 01-16-2018

Case Style:

Case Number: 1:17-cr-00089-JTN

Judge: Janet T. Neff

Court: United States District Court for the Western District of Michigan (Saginaw County)

Plaintiff's Attorney: Justin M. Presant

Defendant's Attorney: Charles Chamberlain

Description: Grand Rapids, MI - Muskegon-Based International Drug Trafficker Receives Thirty Years In Prison

Alfonzo Dewayne Johnson, 43, of Muskegon, was sentenced to thirty years’ imprisonment by U.S. District Judge Janet T. Neff, to be followed by ten years of supervised release. Johnson pled guilty last year to conspiracy to distribute cocaine and crystal methamphetamine. Johnson previously served a decade in federal prison for drug trafficking.

Following his discharge from federal supervision in the earlier case, Johnson led a scheme to import large quantities of cocaine and crystal methamphetamine from Mexico and to distribute them in West Michigan. The conspiracy lasted more than two years, and involved the four co-defendants in the case, all of whom have been convicted. Demarco Knox was sentenced last month to ten years in prison, and the other co-defendants—James Aubrey Kitchen, Devanda Montgomery, and Alvin Rone—are awaiting sentencing. Johnson and some of his co-conspirators wired money to Mexico and Johnson traveled to Mexico on multiple occasions. On March 5, 2017, Johnson was stopped in a car in possession of cocaine and crystal methamphetamine, and at the same time two search warrants were executed at residences in the Muskegon area where Johnson was storing a total of approximately eight kilograms of cocaine and four kilograms of crystal methamphetamine.

"Drug trafficking remains an insidious plague on free society," Birge said. "This defendant is a stark reminder of the long reach of the Mexican cartels, even in the parts of the United States furthest removed from our southern border. Countering that reach here in Michigan, our federal law enforcement agencies and our state and local partners have committed their resources to ferreting out and capturing the most dangerous drug dealers."

"The investigation into Alfonzo Johnson and his successful conviction is a testimony to the dedication and hard work of DEA, HSI Agents, members of the West Michigan Enforcement Team and the United States Attorney’s Office. This is a victory for law enforcement and contributes to a safer community in Western Michigan" said Timothy J. Plancon, Special Agent in Charge, Drug Enforcement Administration, Detroit Division.

"This lengthy prison term effectively rids our community of drug trafficking and drug-related crimes brought on by this defendant and his associates," said Steve Francis, Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations ("HSI").

"Alfonzo Johnson was responsible for trafficking several pounds of cocaine and crystal methamphetamine to the Muskegon area and as a result of this investigation, the West Michigan Enforcement Team (‘WEMET’) and our federal law enforcement partners have slowed the devastation of what these particular drugs are doing to our community," said Detective First Lieutenant Andrew Fias, the Michigan State Police WEMET Section Commander. "WEMET continues to share an outstanding partnership with Homeland Security Investigations, the Drug Enforcement Administration, and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Michigan."

This interagency case was investigated by the DEA, HSI, and WEMET.

Outcome: Defendant was sentenced to 30 years in prison followed by ten years of supervised release.

Plaintiff's Experts:

Defendant's Experts:

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