CRACK ALLEY: ONE YEAR LATER

CORA, W.Va. - This weekend marked the one year anniversary of the infamous
"Crack Alley" raid and all 13 people arrested are now serving federal
sentences.

On Feb. 22, 2001, a Federal Grand Jury sitting in Charleston returned a
28-page, 25-count, sealed indictment against Jeffrey "Jazz Bryant, Shawn
"Worm" Simon, David "Boogie" Sherod, Jeffrey "JJ" Collins, Shelby Person,
Alfonzo "Fonnie" Murphy, Bill Jones, Sirhalod "Juliet" Simon, Marvin Brown,
Rodney "Boo" Minter, Kevin "Bucky" Jemerson, Kenneth "Kenny" Bass, and Sean
Bradsher. Warrants for the arrests of all 13 defendants were issued that
same day.

On Feb. 23, West Virginia State Troopers, Drug Enforcement Administration
Special Agents and members of the Logan County Drug and Violent Crimes Task
Force executed most of the warrants. Although their arrest warrants were
issued on Feb. 22, Sirhalod Simon was arrested in Charleston on March 5,
and Rodney Minter was apprehended in Wichita, Kansas, on May 4.

At various times during the past year all 13 defendants entered guilty
pleas and were sentenced to prison terms. Their sentences are as follows:

- - Alphonso Murphy, 26, of Charleston, pled guilty to one count of
possession with intent to distribute more than 5 grams of crack cocaine.
Murphy was sentenced to nine years in federal prison and five years of
supervised release following the prison term and a $100 "special assessment."

- - Marvin Brown, 45, of Amherstdale, pled guilty to one count of
distribution of crack cocaine. Brown admitted to selling a quantity of
crack cocaine to an informant working with the Logan County Drug and
Violent Crimes Task Force. Brown was sentenced to four years, three months
in federal prison and three years of supervised release and a $100 special
assessment. Brown was also indicted by a Logan County Grand Jury on the
felony charge of transferring stolen property. So far, the federal
government has refused to return Brown to Logan County for prosecution on
the state charge.

- - Jeffrey Collins, 25, of Cora, pled quitly to one count of possession with
intent to distribute more than five grams of crack cocaine. He receieved a
sentence of seven years, three months in Federal prison, five years of
supervised release and a $100 special assessment.

- - Kevin Jemerson, 21, of Logan, pled guilty to aiding and abetting the
distribution of crack cocaine. Jemerson admitted to selling crack cocaine,
in the Cora area, to undercover police oficers. Jemerson received four
years, three months in federal prison, three years of supervised release
and a $100 special assessment.

- - Sirhalod Simon, 29, of Wytheville, Virginia, formerly of Cora, pled
guilty to distribution of crack cocaine. Simon admitted selling crack
cocaine, in the Cora area, to an to undercover police officer. His sentence
was three years, one month in federal prison, three years of supervised
release and a $100 special assessment.

? Kenneth Bass, 44, of Holden, pled guilty to distribution of crack
cocaine. Bass admitted that he sold crack to an undercover police officer.
Bass got one year, six months in federal prison, three years of supervised
release and a $100 special assessment.

- - Bill Jones, 47, of Holden, pled guilty to one count of distributing crack
cocaine. He was sentenced to five years and ten months in prison, in
addition to three years of supervised release and a $100 special assessment.

- - David Sherod, 24, of Mt.Gay, pled guilty to possession with intent to
deliver crack cocaine. He was sentenced to eleven years, four months in
prison, three years of supervised release and a special assessment of $100.

- - Jeffrey Bryant, 32, of Holden, pled guilty to conspiracy to distribute
more than 50 grams of crack cocaine. He was sentenced to 11 years and three
months in federal prison, five years of supervised release and a special
assessment of $100.

- - Shawn Bradsher, 19, of Wilkinson, pled guilty to possession with intent
to deliver crack cocaine and carrying a firearm during a drug trafficking
offense. Bradsher was given a 5-year sentence on each charge. The sentences
are to run consecutively, meaning that Bradsher will serve a total of 10
years in a federal prison. He must also serve five years on supervised
release after his sentence is served. Bradsher was also ordered to pay the
$100 special assessment.

- - Shawn Simon, 29, of Logan, pled guilty to possession with intent to
distribute more than 50 grams of crack cocaine. He was sentenced to 20
years in federal prison, six years on supervised release and a $100 special
assessment.

- - Rodney Minter, 28, of Logan, pled guilty to possession with intent to
deliver an unspecified amount of crack cocaine. He was sentenced to 197
days in prison, two months on home confinement, three years of supervised
release and a $100 special assessment.

- - Shelby Pearson, 30, of Cora, pled guilty to possession with intent to
deliver more than 50 grams of crack cocaine. Pearson was sentenced to 11
years, three months in prison, five years supervised release and a $100
special assessment.

All of the defendants were sentenced by U.S. District Judge Joseph R.
Goodwin. Assistant U.S. Attorney John Frail handled the prosecutions.