Cocaine distribution conspiracy leads to 16-year sentence for Hopewell man
Hopewell, Virginia – A Hopewell man, Cleveland Lamont Parson, 51, was sentenced to 16 years in federal prison for his role in a large-scale cocaine distribution conspiracy that spanned several years and involved multiple co-conspirators across several states. The sentencing marks a significant chapter in the extensive investigation into a drug trafficking network that distributed vast quantities of cocaine throughout Central Virginia and beyond.
Extensive Cocaine Distribution Network
According to court documents, between May 2021 and October 2023, Parson conspired with 39-year-old Aaron Larde Heath of Chester, Virginia, and other individuals to orchestrate the purchase and distribution of kilogram quantities of cocaine. The operation sourced cocaine from various locations, including Virginia, North Carolina, and Mexico. Parson’s residence in Hopewell served as a central stash house for storing and distributing the drugs. Throughout the conspiracy, Parson and Heath were responsible for distributing between 50 and 150 kilograms of cocaine.
Key Events and Arrests
The investigation culminated in several critical events leading to arrests and convictions. On May 18, 2023, Jerrell Stanley Bugg, 46, of Chester, purchased three kilograms of cocaine from Parson. After leaving Parson’s residence, Bugg was stopped by law enforcement, who found a 9mm semi-automatic handgun in his possession. A K-9 unit detected narcotics in Bugg’s vehicle, prompting him to flee on foot. He was quickly apprehended, and officers recovered the cocaine. Bugg later pled guilty to possession with intent to distribute 500 grams or more of cocaine and was sentenced to seven years in prison.
In August 2023, Parson and Heath received 18 kilograms of cocaine but deemed a portion of it to be of poor quality. They arranged to return the subpar cocaine through couriers Jose Misael Reyes, 33, of El Salvador, and Corina Chavez, 31, of Bailey, North Carolina. Law enforcement recovered the cocaine during a search of the couriers’ residence in Roanoke Rapids, North Carolina. Reyes and Chavez both pled guilty to conspiracy to distribute and possess with the intent to distribute five kilograms or more of cocaine and received prison sentences of 11 years and three months, and five years and 10 months, respectively.
Heath’s Further Involvement and Additional Arrests
On August 20, 2023, Heath traveled to Charlotte, North Carolina, to acquire an additional 20 kilograms of cocaine. He enlisted 61-year-old Antonio Shaw of Hopewell as a courier to transport the drugs back to Virginia. However, during Shaw’s return journey, law enforcement conducted a traffic stop in Randolph County, North Carolina, where they discovered the cocaine in his vehicle. Shaw pled guilty to conspiracy to distribute and possess cocaine with the intent to distribute five kilograms or more of cocaine and was sentenced to five years and six months in prison.
Final Arrest and Sentencing
On October 25, 2023, law enforcement executed a search warrant at Parson’s residence, uncovering a cache of weapons, including a 12-gauge semi-automatic shotgun, a .38 caliber revolver, a .45 caliber semi-automatic handgun with an extended 30-round magazine, and a .762 caliber AK-47 semi-automatic rifle. They also seized $37,261 in cash and multiple cellphones.
Heath, who was closely involved in the conspiracy, pled guilty to related charges and was sentenced to 15 years in prison on May 3, 2024.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Erik S. Siebert, Shea M. Gibbons, Jessica Wright, and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Ellen Hubbard. Jessica D. Aber, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia; Jarod Forget, Special Agent in Charge for the Drug Enforcement Administration’s (DEA) Washington Division; and Jason Miyares, Attorney General of Virginia, made the announcement after sentencing by Senior U.S. District Judge Henry E. Hudson.
