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Date: 10-12-2021
Case Style:
Case Number: 2:19-cr-00145-AWA-DEM
Judge: Arenda L. Wright Allen
Court: United States District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia (Norfolk County)
Plaintiff's Attorney: United States Attorney’s Office
Defendant's Attorney:
Description: Norfolk, VA: Criminal defense lawyer represented defendant charged with trafficking drugs and guns.
Shon E. Melton, 32, of Portsmouth, was attributed with trafficking 19 firearms, including a concealable short barrel shotgun, assault rifles, and stolen guns, one of which was a Ruger with a scope and laser modification. Firearms trafficked by Melton include stolen guns connected to burglaries in the London Oaks neighborhood of Portsmouth, sold within days or weeks of the home invasions.
Operation High Tide is a large-scale narcotics trafficking and firearms investigation that has resulted in the recovery of over 65 firearms, over 7 kilograms of cocaine, nearly a kilogram of crack cocaine, over 625 grams of heroin, over 100 grams of fentanyl, 75 grams of acetyl fentanyl, 12 pounds of marijuana, 621 grams of hash oil, 24 grams of MDMA (commonly known as ecstasy), 120 grams of methamphetamine, and over $560,000 in cash. The narcotics seized have a street value of nearly $1 million.
To date, Operation High Tide defendants have been sentenced to a combined total of over 250 years:
Name, Age
Hometown
Charges
Sentence
Brian D. Best, 34
Virginia Beach
Conspiracy to Distribute and Possess with Intent to Distribute Methamphetamine
92 months
Antisha Carrington, 25
Virginia Beach
Conspiracy to Distribute and Possess with Intent to Distribute Cocaine, Heroin, Fentanyl, and Marijuana
33 months
Portia L. Carrington-Green, 46, Chesapeake
Transferring a Firearm to a Prohibited Person
12 months and one day
Kawanta D. Epps, 40
Norfolk
Conspiracy to Distribute and Possess with Intent to Distribute Cocaine, Heroin, Fentanyl, and Marijuana; Distribution of Heroin
46 months
Glenn Farris, 36
Norfolk
Using a Communication Facility to Commit, Cause, and Facilitate the Distribution of Controlled Substances
30 months
Armad J. Gatling, 26, Portsmouth
Felon in Possession of a Firearm, Aggravated Identity Theft, and Credit Union Fraud
216 months
Corey L. Jones, 50
Portsmouth
Conspiracy to Manufacture, Distribute, and Possess with Intent to Manufacture and Distribute Heroin; Possessing a Firearm in Furtherance of a Drug-Trafficking Crime
240 months
Dominic D. Jones, 26
Portsmouth
Conspiracy to Manufacture, Distribute, and Possess with Intent to Manufacture and Distribute Heroin; Possessing a Firearm in Furtherance of a Drug-Trafficking Crime
60 months
Malcolm D. Jones, Sr., 45
Portsmouth
Conspiracy to Manufacture, Distribute, and Possess with Intent to Manufacture and Distribute Heroin; Distribution of Heroin, Fentanyl; Distribution of Acetyl Fentanyl
246 months
Malcom Jones, Jr., 25
Portsmouth
Conspiracy to Manufacture, Distribute, and Possess with Intent to Manufacture and Distribute Heroin
156 months
Razagin K. Lee, 49, Elizabeth City, North Carolina
Conspiracy to Distribute and Possess with Intent to Distribute Cocaine
140 months
Shon E. Melton, 30
Portsmouth
Distribution of Heroin; Possessing a Firearm in Furtherance of a Drug-Trafficking Crime; Possession of an Unregistered National Firearms Act Firearm
60 months
Hasheed Mills, 25
Portsmouth
Distribution of Heroin; Possession of a Firearm in Furtherance of a Drug-Trafficking Crime; Distribution of Cocaine
60 months
Gary Norfleet, 52
Chesapeake
Possession with Intent to Distribute Cocaine; Felon in Possession of a Firearm
151 months
Jermaine C. Parker, 35
Chesapeake
Distribution of Fentanyl; 2 counts of Possession of a Firearm in Furtherance of a Drug-Trafficking Crime
240 months
Takieon J. Perkins, 36, Chesapeake
Felon in Possession of a Firearm
180 months
Raewkon A. Pierce, 24
Portsmouth
Distribution of Cocaine
140 months
Corey S. Reed, 38
Norfolk
Distribution of Heroin; Possession with Intent to Distribute Heroin
156 months
Tajh Rodgers, 29
Portsmouth
Robbery Affecting Commerce; Using, Carrying, and Brandishing a Firearm During and in Relation to a Crime of Violence; and 3 counts of Possessing a Firearm in Furtherance of a Drug-Trafficking Crime
336 months
Johnnie Ross, 29
Portsmouth
Distribution of Fentanyl
60 months
Jameel M. Simmons, 37
Portsmouth
Possession with Intent to Distribute Heroin; Possession of a Firearm in Furtherance of a Drug-Trafficking Crime
123 months
Jelami M. Smith, 43
Portsmouth
Distribution of Heroin
24 months
Robert B. Spruill, 39
Chesapeake
Conspiracy to Distribute and Possess Methamphetamine
60 months
Paul C. Voskanyan, 36
Possession with Intent to Distribute Crack Cocaine
144 months
Jessica D. Aber, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia; Mark R. Herring, Attorney General of Virginia; Charlie J. Patterson, Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives’ (ATF) Washington Field Division; Jarod Forget, Special Agent in Charge for the Drug Enforcement Administration’s (DEA) Washington Field Division; Colonel Gary T. Settle, Superintendent of Virginia State Police; Larry D. Boone, Chief of Norfolk Police; Col. K.L. Wright, Chief of Chesapeake Police; and Renado Prince, Chief of Portsmouth Police, made the announcement after sentencing by U.S. District Judge Arenda Wright Allen.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kristin G. Bird, Andrew C. Bosse, John F. Butler, Megan M. Cowles, Sherrie Capotosto, Kevin M. Comstock, Joseph E. DePadilla, William B. Jackson, Darryl Mitchell, and William D. Muhr prosecuted the cases referenced above.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), which is the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information on the Melton case are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:19-cr-145. Other Operation High Tide cases can be found by searching for Case Nos. 2:19-cr-80, 111, 138, 145, 146, 147, 148, 149, 150, 151, 154, 155, 170, 193, and 2:20-cr-15.
T.21:841(a)(1) and 841(b)(1)(C) - Distribution of Heroin / Criminal Forfeiture T.21:853(p), T.21:853, T.18:924(d)(1), T.26:5872, T.49:80303, T.28:2461(c)
(3)
T.18:924(c)(1)(A) - Possession of Firearms During and In Relation to a Drug Trafficking Crime
(4)
T.26:5861(d) - Possession of an Unregistered National Firearms Act Firearm
(5)
Outcome: Sentencing held before District Judge Arenda L. Wright Allen on 10/12/2021: John Butler present on behalf of the government; Scott Hallauer present on behalf of the defendant; Defendant present and on bond; Defendant sworn; Court noted for the record Federal Rule of Criminal Procedure 5(f). Court finds defendant guilty after a plea before a USMJ; Arguments of counsel heard; Shon E. Melton (1), Count 3, IMPRISONMENT: TIME SERVED; SUPERVISED RELEASE: THREE (3) YEARS; SPECIAL ASSESSMENT: $100.00; Count 4, IMPRISONMENT: SIXTY (60) MONTHS; SUPERVISED RELEASE: FIVE (5) YEARS TO RUN CONCURRENTLY; SPECIAL ASSESSMENT: $100.00; Count 5, IMPRISONMENT: TIME SERVED; SUPERVISED RELEASE: THREE (3) YEARS TO RUN CONCURRENTLY; SPECIAL ASSESSMENT: $100.00. Remaining counts dismissed on motion of the government at sentencing. Defendant continued on bond and to self surrender. COURT HOURS: 9:00 AM - 10:15 AM. (Court Reporter Heidi Jeffreys.)(lhow) (Entered: 10/13/2021)
Plaintiff's Experts:
Defendant's Experts:
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