Partnership For a Drug Free Wayne County

Man gets life without parole

U.S. District Court sentences Richmond resident found guilty of federal drug-dealing charges

BY MIKE BENNETT • STAFF WRITER • OCTOBER 15, 2009

Law enforcement officials are applauding the life sentence handed to a Richmond man who was convicted of distributing crack cocaine in Wayne County.
Because of three previous drug convictions, Billy L. Hicks, 37, can never be released from federal prison.
"I am pleased with the investigation and prosecution of Hicks at the federal level," said Wayne County Prosecutor Mike Shipman. "He will not return to Wayne County and deal more drugs."
Judge William T. Lawrence in U.S. District Court in Indianapolis announced the sentence Friday.
A jury found Hicks guilty on July 15 after a three-day trial.
The severity of the sentence was deserved, said U.S. Attorney Timothy M. Morrison of the Southern District of Indiana in an e-mail Wednesday. "Federal criminal statutes provide severe penalties for repeat offenders," Morrison said. "Hicks' three previous drug convictions authorized a life sentence."
Hicks originally was charged in July 2007 through work of the Wayne County Drug Task Force, Drug Enforcement Administration and informant Tony Hurd.
Charges in Wayne County were dropped after Hurd's drive-by slaying on Aug. 2, 2007, in Englewood, Ohio.
A federal grand jury then indicted Hicks on March 19, 2008. "Drug-trafficking can be a federal offense even when it is committed within a single state," Morrison said.
Ironically, his punishment is stiffer than he could have received in courts in Indiana, said Lt. Jim Branum of the Richmond Police Department and the drug task force.
"As far as I can ever recall, it's the first local person who's received life (without the possibility of parole) for dealing drugs," Branum said.
Hicks lived in and out of Richmond for about a decade and was believed to be part of the largest cocaine-selling ring in the area, Branum said.
Another Richmond man -- Rollie Mitchell -- has been charged with federal drug-dealing charges in the case.
"They bought several ounces of crack cocaine from Rollie as well. It was the same case and same informant," Branum said. "His trial starts in November."
Another man also was originally charged in Wayne County, but he currently does not face federal charges.
"They were all arrested, then (the) informant was killed," Branum said.
Shipman is confident that Hurd's killers will be caught. "The federal investigator has assembled substantial and compelling evidence in the case," Shipman said. "I anticipate that those individuals who were involved in his murder will be held accountable for their actions."

Reporter Mike Bennett: (765) 973-4462 or mxbennett@pal-item.com

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