Arkansas Court Indicts Eight in Heroin Distribution Conspiracy Blamed for Two Deaths
By: KARK 4 News
Updated: July 27, 2012
An Arkansas federal court has indicted eight men in a heroin distribution conspiracy blamed for two deaths.
They're charged with conspiring to distribute, or to possess with intent to distribute, more than 100 grams of heroin from May 1, 2011, through June 26, 2012,
Four of those indicted are from Cabot:
Wallando "Wiley" Onezine, 40
Justin Pennock, 28,
Alex Evans, 22,
Devon McClain, 19,
The other four are identified as Keith "Key" Sanders, 25, of Memphis; Hunter Gladden, 25, of Ward; Mark Aaron "Zane" Pruitt, 22, of Jacksonville; and Landon Cope, 21, of Little Rock.
The indictments were announced by Christopher R. Thyer, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Arkansas and William J. Bryant, Assistant Special Agent in Charge of the Little Rock Field Division of the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA).
"The arrest and indictment of these eight men is just the beginning of our efforts to remove those who distribute heroin not only in Cabot and Lonoke County, but wherever else this dangerous, addictive drug is being peddled. Since last fall, there have been nine reported incidents involving young men and women overdosing on heroin, two of which resulted in the loss of life. I encourage parents to learn what signs to look for and pay close attention to the activities and behavior of their sons and daughters. Teach your children about the consequences of drug experimentation and notify local authorities of any suspected drug dealing in your community," stated Thyer.
"The State of Arkansas is experiencing the same trends as other states, in which people are abusing prescription pain pills containing opiates and develop an opiate addiction," said Bryant. "Some of these people then turn to heroin. As you can see in this case, this trend produces fatal consequences in our community."
Onezine and Cope are charged with distributing heroin on October 27, 2011, which resulted in the death of an individual identified in court documents only as J.M.
Onezine is also charged, along with Pennock, with distributing heroin on March 23, 2012, which resulted in the death of an individual identified in court documents only as D.H.
Onezine, McClain, and Pruitt are also charged with distributing heroin on March 29, 2012. McClain is also charged with distributing heroin on May 9, 2012.
Onezine is also charged with possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime and being a felon in possession of a firearm, on June 26, 2012.
Onezine, McClain, Pruitt, Pennock, Evans, and Gladden have all been arrested, but Sanders and Cope are still at large.
Sanders is charged with possessing heroin on February 22, 2012, with the intent to distribute it.
Evans is charged with distributing heroin on March 19, 2012.
If convicted of conspiring to distribute or possess with intent to distribute more than 100 grams of heroin, the use of which resulted in death, or distributing heroin, the use of which resulted in death, the defendants will face a sentence of not less than 20 years to life imprisonment. Any sentence for those counts can be enhanced to an automatic sentence of life imprisonment if the defendant has a prior, final conviction for a felony drug offense.
The investigation was conducted by the United States Drug Enforcement Administration, the Arkansas State Police, the Cabot Police Department, the Ward Police Department, the Maumelle Police Department, the Austin Police Department, the Lonoke County Sheriff's Office, Conway County Sheriff's Office and the Pulaski County Sheriff's Office.
To report Sanders' or Cope's whereabouts, call the DEA at (501) 217-6500.
They're charged with conspiring to distribute, or to possess with intent to distribute, more than 100 grams of heroin from May 1, 2011, through June 26, 2012,
Four of those indicted are from Cabot:
Wallando "Wiley" Onezine, 40
Justin Pennock, 28,
Alex Evans, 22,
Devon McClain, 19,
The other four are identified as Keith "Key" Sanders, 25, of Memphis; Hunter Gladden, 25, of Ward; Mark Aaron "Zane" Pruitt, 22, of Jacksonville; and Landon Cope, 21, of Little Rock.
The indictments were announced by Christopher R. Thyer, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Arkansas and William J. Bryant, Assistant Special Agent in Charge of the Little Rock Field Division of the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA).
"The arrest and indictment of these eight men is just the beginning of our efforts to remove those who distribute heroin not only in Cabot and Lonoke County, but wherever else this dangerous, addictive drug is being peddled. Since last fall, there have been nine reported incidents involving young men and women overdosing on heroin, two of which resulted in the loss of life. I encourage parents to learn what signs to look for and pay close attention to the activities and behavior of their sons and daughters. Teach your children about the consequences of drug experimentation and notify local authorities of any suspected drug dealing in your community," stated Thyer.
"The State of Arkansas is experiencing the same trends as other states, in which people are abusing prescription pain pills containing opiates and develop an opiate addiction," said Bryant. "Some of these people then turn to heroin. As you can see in this case, this trend produces fatal consequences in our community."
Onezine and Cope are charged with distributing heroin on October 27, 2011, which resulted in the death of an individual identified in court documents only as J.M.
Onezine is also charged, along with Pennock, with distributing heroin on March 23, 2012, which resulted in the death of an individual identified in court documents only as D.H.
Onezine, McClain, and Pruitt are also charged with distributing heroin on March 29, 2012. McClain is also charged with distributing heroin on May 9, 2012.
Onezine is also charged with possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime and being a felon in possession of a firearm, on June 26, 2012.
Onezine, McClain, Pruitt, Pennock, Evans, and Gladden have all been arrested, but Sanders and Cope are still at large.
Sanders is charged with possessing heroin on February 22, 2012, with the intent to distribute it.
Evans is charged with distributing heroin on March 19, 2012.
If convicted of conspiring to distribute or possess with intent to distribute more than 100 grams of heroin, the use of which resulted in death, or distributing heroin, the use of which resulted in death, the defendants will face a sentence of not less than 20 years to life imprisonment. Any sentence for those counts can be enhanced to an automatic sentence of life imprisonment if the defendant has a prior, final conviction for a felony drug offense.
The investigation was conducted by the United States Drug Enforcement Administration, the Arkansas State Police, the Cabot Police Department, the Ward Police Department, the Maumelle Police Department, the Austin Police Department, the Lonoke County Sheriff's Office, Conway County Sheriff's Office and the Pulaski County Sheriff's Office.
To report Sanders' or Cope's whereabouts, call the DEA at (501) 217-6500.
Comments
And that right there folks is the immaturity thats representing our country!! I'm glad not all of our service men are like you!
stacy k.
July 27, 2012 at 6:51 pm
IF YOU DONT LIKE WHAT PEOPLE HAVE TO SAY IN THE COMMENTS THEN DONT READ THEM LAST TIME I CHECKED THIS IS AMERICA AND WE STILL HAVE THE FREEDOM OF SPEECH, AND SINCE WHAT SAY DOESNT MATTER TO ME I WONT BE READING ANY MORE OF YOUR COMMENTS
lloyd b.
July 27, 2012 at 1:29 pm
hey stacy "WWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHH" bite me
lloyd b.
July 27, 2012 at 1:18 pm
And until you have been through the same situation yourself you have no place to comment or throw your input in on what you think is right for some of these people. Until you learn about what some of these people have grew up in your just talking out the wrong end.
stacy k.
July 27, 2012 at 12:28 pm
And as far as i havent seen what you have. Believe me, ive seen as much or more in my life. I come from a family where ive seen drugs, mental torment, physical torture and death. But i still have compassion and know that when someone is making an effort to correct their lives that there are still consequences for their past actions but that is not for you to decide.
stacy k.
July 27, 2012 at 12:21 pm
And as far as i havent seen what you have. Believe me, ive seen as much or more in my life. I come from a family where ive seen drugs, mental torment, physical torture and death. But i still have compassion and know that when someone is making an effort to correct their lives that there are still consequences for their past actions but that is not for you to decide.
stacy k.
July 27, 2012 at 12:21 pm
well blees your heart and i feel for you but I did not judge you did I. So it seems very uncalled for and unwarranted for your ill will. Yes people deserve what they get for what they have done but it is not for you to decide until you have walked in their shoes. You arent the only one thats had parents divorced and has diabetes and has to go to work everyday. You have a holier than thou attitude that really exemplifies the nature of some people. as far as mental capacity learn the difference between buy and bye. and you can shove that.
stacy k.
July 27, 2012 at 12:16 pm
and i have diabetes and have to take 5 shots a day
lloyd b.
July 27, 2012 at 10:59 am
oh yeah i forgot to mention both my father and stepfather have died due to heart attacks and i broke my back in a car accident in several years ago
lloyd b.
July 27, 2012 at 10:59 am
wow stacy what you say means so much to me NOT, you have no idea what ive seen in my life, i dont care what you are raised with you know the difference from right and wrong, yeah ive seen my share of hardship, let me fill you in, my parents divorced when i was 4 and never got along after that, i started working construction when i was 12, i entered the the army when i was 17,i had to take mre's home to feed my family because i couldnt get any kind of financial aid even though i was serving my country, went to war when i was 21 and saw things you couldnt possible imagine, been married and divorced, i have a grandson ive never seen, been robbed by lowlifes who were trying to sell stuff to bye drugs and despite all of this i get up and go to work and earn a living and dont steal or do drugs and you want me to have compassion, well thats not going to happen, so uyou can take your "mental capacity and shove it, after everything we see everyday about how stupid it is to do things like drugs and people still do then they get what they deserve
lloyd b.
July 27, 2012 at 10:43 am
Yeah your right it is a choice. But some of them were raised with it and thats all they know. You dont know anything about these people or what they have been through. How about maybe showing some compassion for their families other than blasting them. Im sure in you perfection you never have witnessed hardship. You want to call people stupid but you are so quick to judge. Some of these people have straightened their lifes out and the past has just come back on them. So before you judge know the person. Its sad that some people lack the mental capacity to do that.
stacy k.
July 27, 2012 at 9:50 am
im glad that at least some of these lowlifes will go to jail hopefully for a long time but probably not and if your stupid enough to do drugs then you deserve what you get, im so tired of people claiming they are addicted when its a choice to take drugs, if you want to do it then i have no sympathy for you
lloyd b.
July 27, 2012 at 6:37 am
