RAPPERS GUILTY IN DRUG RING

'Celebrities' A Front To Supply Cocaine To West Pensacola

Four "Warrington Celebrities" charged with selling large amounts of
cocaine on the west side of town pleaded guilty in federal court Tuesday.

The four - James D. Warren, 33; Terry M. Newkirk, 27; Edward K.
Newell, 26; and Michael V. Newell, 22 - admitted to being part of a
large group that had been bringing cocaine into the Pensacola area for
several years.

Authorities are continuing their investigation of the "Warrington
Celebrities," a local rap group that investigators say was a front for
drug trade. The four, who were indicted in mid-January, agreed to
cooperate with that investigation.

Each pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute more than 5 kilograms
of powder cocaine and 50 grams of crack cocaine. U.S. District Judge
Lacey Collier scheduled their sentencings for April 27.

"They were getting kilogram levels of cocaine in Atlanta and bringing
it back here to distribute," Drug Enforcement Administration Special
Agent Charlie Gravat said in court.

Because of previous drug convictions, Warren, Newkirk and Edward
Newell face mandatory minimum sentences of life in prison. However, if
the government finds that they provide "substantial assistance" to the
investigation, Collier could reduce their sentences.

Michael Newell, who has no prior criminal record, faces from 10 years
to life in prison unless he provides "substantial assistance."

Four other men named in the same indictment have entered not guilty
pleas. One suspect, Richard Pettway, remains at large.

Much of the evidence against the four who pleaded guilty came from
information provided by some of 14 people previously convicted in a
four-year investigation of the drug ring.

"In cases like this, one thing leads to the next that leads to the
next," Pensacola Police Detective Steve Bauer said.

Jafari J. Williams, convicted in August and sentenced to 20 years in
prison, is one of those who has been cooperating.

He told investigators he made frequent trips to Atlanta to buy cocaine
at a time, and Warren and Newkirk accompanied him on some of those
trips, Gravat said.

Gravat said much of the cocaine was cooked into crack form and sold in
and around the Warrington Village apartments.

At the time of his arrest Warren had a large amount of powder cocaine
in his home, while Edward Newell had crack cocaine in his home, Gravat
said.

Bauer said the arrests should make a dent in the local drug trade.