Opinion ID: 790329
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: Investigation and Indictments

Text: 3 In 1997, while investigating Charles Jackson, a suspected drug dealer in Chicago, the FBI identified Robert Allen as a cocaine supplier in Chicago's Englewood neighborhood. The FBI eventually obtained authorization to monitor Allen's land line and cellular telephones from April to June 1998. During that period, the FBI intercepted over 4,000 telephone calls, many of which involved drug transactions. 4 In August 1998, based in part on information from the intercepted phone calls, the FBI arrested Allen, Antwayne Palmore, Samuel Redding, and Irving Tillman—all of whom subsequently pleaded guilty to drug conspiracy charges and agreed to cooperate with the government. Thereafter, and in part as a result of their cooperation, the grand jury returned an indictment against defendants Keith McGee, King, Banks, Smith, Ector, Flozell McGee, McKinzie, Brim, and seven others. All defendants were charged with conspiring, between January 1997 and August 1998, to distribute and possess with intent to distribute more than five kilograms of cocaine and more than fifty grams of cocaine base, in violation of 21 U.S.C. § 846. The grand jury further charged King with possessing with intent to distribute approximately 123.5 grams of cocaine on or about January 6, 1998, in violation of 21 U.S.C. § 841(a)(1). In addition, the grand jury charged McKinzie with possessing with intent to distribute approximately 60.7 grams of cocaine and 92 grams of cocaine base on or about December 8, 1999, in violation of 21 U.S.C. § 841(a)(1). The grand jury also charged each defendant with at least one count of using a telephone to facilitate the conspiracy, in violation of 21 U.S.C. § 843(b). 5 On September 1, 2000, Brim pleaded guilty to the conspiracy count and to four telephone facilitation counts. On September 8, 2000, the district court severed the possession with intent to distribute counts against McKinzie from the trial. The remainder of the case proceeded to trial in January 2001.