Opinion ID: 686510
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: facts

Text: 2 Prior to September 1993, the police secured the help of Mark Bonds, an informant. Following the police's direction, Bonds telephonically contacted Tommy Mitchell in San Diego, California. Bonds had obtained heroin from Mitchell on five occasions prior to the phone call. Bonds informed Mitchell that Bonds had found a buyer for 10 ounces of heroin. On September 9, 1993, police recorded a call between Bonds and Mitchell in which Mitchell agreed to travel to East St. Louis, Illinois to meet Bonds concerning the heroin transaction. 3 On September 15, 1993, Mitchell arrived in East St. Louis. Bonds then introduced Mitchell to his buyer, DJ, an undercover narcotics detective named Daniel Jones. While taping the conversation, Detective Jones negotiated with Mitchell for the sale of ten ounces of heroin at a price of $50,000. During the course of the conversation, Mitchell referred to my people and to an unidentified person that I trust to bring the product back. 4 Between September 27, 1993 and October 21, 1993, Detective Jones recorded three additional calls between himself and Mitchell concerning the prospective heroin transaction. Mitchell again travelled to East St. Louis by plane on October 29, 1994. He was accompanied by Walter Williams, the defendant. Both Mitchell and Mr. Williams checked into the Blackmon's Motel in East St. Louis. 5 After settling into his room, Mitchell contacted Detective Jones and stated that he was ready to proceed with the transaction. Detective Jones attempted to discuss the logistics of the transaction with Mitchell on eight separate occasions that day. On one occasion, Detective Jones talked to Mr. Williams. Mr. Williams told Detective Jones, who was recording the conversation, that I thought everything was ready. I'm the one who, uh, this is on me. (Tr. of Government's Ex. 8 at 4). 1 Mr. Williams also stated that this thing like changed.... [T]hat wasn't the way it was suppose to be.... [a]s far as I'm concerned we got to do it here. (Id.) Later, Mr. Williams said to Detective Jones, I wasn't expecting these problems everything was suppose to be ready.... I tell you what we won't talk by phone. Mitchell told Detective Jones, in the eighth telephone call of the day, that Mr. Williams was my partner and they there the one didn't want me to come out here in the first place and they said let's go since this dude's for real. (Id. at 5). 6 At approximately 8 p.m. on October 29, Detective Anthony Lachenicht and Bonds observed Mr. Williams retrieve a small gray cylindrical object wrapped in duct tape from under the ice machine at the Blackmon's Motel. Mr. Williams then brought the package to Mitchell's motel room. Mitchell left the motel immediately and travelled to the Matador Lounge in East St. Louis. He was followed by police. 7 At the Matador Lounge, Detective Jones met Mitchell and asked to see the heroin. Mitchell raised his jacket and revealed a gray cylindrical object wrapped in duct tape stored at his waistband. After signalling to other officers in the area, Detective Jones then attempted to arrest Mitchell. Mitchell fled and threw the cylinder to the ground. However, Mitchell was taken into custody and the cylinder was retrieved. Soon afterward, Mr. Williams was arrested at the Blackmon's Motel.