19 Black Hawk County men indicted for drugs, gun charges

CEDAR RAPIDS - Nineteen Black Hawk County men have been charged with federal drug trafficking and firearms offenses, according to five indictments unsealed Wednesday in U.S. District Court. 

The defendants indicted were charged with conspiracy to distribute cocaine base and other drug trafficking offenses, and additional indictments charge two others for being felons in possession of firearms and ammunition.

According to the Waterloo Courier, local police and FBI agents were seen making arrests at several homes during the sweep on Wednesday.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Tony Morfitt said Thursday all the arrests made Wednesday were in connection with the indictments, but he declined to provide further details on the investigations and if they were related.      

Naiqondis Maurice Spates, 32, Devonte Denterrio Jenkins, 25, and Gary Lind Krueger, 70, all of Waterloo, were charged in one indictment.

Alston Ray Campbell, Jr., 34, Alston Ray Campbell, Sr., 63, William Marcellus Campbell, 42, Willie Junior Carter, 44, Alexander Martin, 49, John Dwayne Phillips, 49, and Darius Fontaine Shears, 30, all of Waterloo, were charged in a second indictment. Shears was also charged with possessing a firearm as a felon.

This indictment also includes authorities asking the court for a forfeiture from drug proceeds: $3,344 seized on May 16, 2016 from a Glenwood Street home; $7,400 seized on May 16, 2016 from a Riehl Street home; $19,600 seized on March 1 from a 1999 Oldsmobile 88 vehicle; $3,064, a 2004 Mercedes-Benz and a 2006 Lexus all seized on March 31, from a Kern Street home; and $300,000 in cash.    

Keylynn Landon Goldsmith, 31, Ronald Corey, 60, Corey Demarcus Jones, 36, Michael Earl Snow, 40, Melvin Maurice Grubbs, 35, Deon Marcell Goldsmith, 36, all from Waterloo, and Gregory Porter Washington, 38, of Evansdale, were in charged in a third indictment.  

In additional indictments, Durius Antwan Davis, 25, of Waterloo, was charged with possessing a firearm and ammunition as a felon, and Johnston Phillips, 64, of Waterloo, was charged with possessing a firearm as a felon and distributing cocaine base.

Alston Campbell Jr., Alston Campbell Sr., William Campbell, Carter, Corey, Davis, Goldsmith, Grubbs, Jenkins, Jones, Krueger, Martin, Johnston Phillips, Snow, Spates, and Washington made initial appearances Wednesday in U.S. District Court and remain in custody pending detention hearings set for Monday.

All defendants face up to 20 years and others face up to life in prison, according to the U.S. Attorney's Office.  

l Comments: (319) 398-8318; trish.mehaffey@thegazette.com