The "Heroin 22"

Last June, 22 Shoals citizens were arrested in a massive heroin sweep conducted by combined local authorities and federal agents. We continue to get questions about the arrests and are offering a partial clarification of these charges since many of these major players were indicted in January.

The eight names in dark red face both local and federal charges. Bold italics indicate actual state indictment charges that are usually stiffer than original arrest charges. Eight were indicted in January and more indictments are anticipated later.

Jasmond Dewand “Jazz” Foster, 26, 420 Hensley St., Florence; trafficking heroin.

William Earl “Buck” Foster Jr., 33, 420 Hensley Court, Florence; unlawful distribution of a controlled substance. - Trafficking heroin.

Shawna Caroline Foster, 36, 420 Hensley Court, Florence; conspiracy to distribute heroin.

Jerry Ray “J-Ray” Cochran, 40, 326 N. Franklin St., Florence; conspiracy to distribute heroin.

Thomas Rashawn “Ham” Barnett, 27, Florence; five counts of unlawful distribution of a controlled substance.

William Earl “Lil Beck” Coffey, 27, 1605 E. 26th St., Sheffield; conspiracy to distribute heroin.

Wallace Earl “Duke” Beckwith, 47, 3016 Woodward St., Florence; conspiracy to distribute heroin.

Ashley Lauren King, 26, 1605 E. 26th St., Sheffield; conspiracy to distribute heroin.

Kasey Lynn Yarbrough, 26, 430 N. Cedar St., Florence; conspiracy to distribute heroin.

Jerry Lee Keeton Jr., 28, 5521 Lauderdale 34, Killen; attempting to commit a controlled substance crime.

Candace Carol Irons, 48, 200 Garfield Ave., Florence; conspiracy to distribute heroin. - Conspiracy to commit a controlled substance crime and two counts of unlawful distribution of a controlled substance.

William H. “Trey” Kimbrough III, 37, Ricks Lane, Leighton; conspiracy to distribute heroin.

Lindsay Arlene James, 30, 127 Gilbert Court, Apartment A, Florence; conspiracy to distribute heroin. - Indicted: Conspiracy to commit a controlled substance crime.

Charles Devell Richardson, 39, 127 Gilbert Court, Apartment A, Florence; conspiracy to distribute heroin.

Chad Brian Balentine, 35, 420 Hensley Court, Florence; conspiracy to distribute heroin. Indicted: Conspiracy to commit a controlled substance crime.

Vanna Leann Denson, 27, Muscle Shoals; conspiracy to distribute heroin. - Indicted: Conspiracy to commit a controlled substance crime.

Jason Daniel Austin, 33, 235 Minnehaha St., Florence; conspiracy to distribute heroin.

John Wesley Akin, 26, 521 Collier St., Florence; two counts of unlawful distribution of a controlled substance. - Indicted: Unlawful distribution of a controlled substance, trafficking heroin, unlawful possession of a controlled substance and unlawful possession of drug paraphernalia.

Brady Ann Irons, 29, 521 Collier St., Florence; two counts of unlawful distribution of a controlled substance. - Indicted: Unlawful possession of a controlled substance, unlawful distribution of a controlled substance, trafficking synthetic drugs and unlawful possession of drug paraphernalia.

Aundrey Barnard Brown, 44, Florence; unlawful distribution of a controlled substance.

Jeremy Desmond “Toot” Wells, 28, 2255 Randolph St., Florence; seven counts of unlawful distribution of a controlled substance. - Indicted: Unlawful distribution of a controlled substance.

Colos Santious Vaughn, 30, 502 Short St., Florence; two counts of unlawful distribution of a controlled substance.

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Trey Kimbrough, Wes Akin, Brady Irons, Candace Irons

For whom should we feel sympathy? Those who died from these drugs, but took them willingly...or those who knowingly sold them for profit...or no one at all?

We know that at least one who died was taking the drug for pain resulting from injuries due to military service. Was it that smart? Perhaps not, but we haven't walked that mile in his shoes.

We're going to offer our sympathy to those who died or were otherwise hurt by these dealers/traffickers. Each and everyone knew exactly what he/she was doing when they sold these drugs, sometimes to teenagers.



Shoalanda

Another Take on William Harold Kimbrough III

Our blog recently mentioned William Harold Kimbrough III, aka Trey, currently under arrest for possession and distribution of an illegal narcotic, namely heroin. Some felt our blog was too hard on Kimbrough and had him already wrongly “convicted.”

We don’t know what Kimbrough’s defense will be, but unless the families of his victims and local police have all lied or choose to recant, he will be going away for a long time. A friend of ours has suggested Kimbrough wasn’t your average dealer, but someone caught up in his own addiction, which he couldn’t seem to conquer. That may be true, but it doesn’t change the state laws concerning heroin distribution.

That brings us to his victims. We say “victims” since four of his customers died and one was at the brink of death for several days. These five were not forced to purchase this drug, nor were they forced to take it. Yet they didn’t plan on death being a side effect of a relatively short euphoria.

Yes, we’ve been sent names of those who died, and no, we won’t publish them here. If this list is correct, there is one victim which greatly disturbs us. Our mental health system may not be a total failure, but it fails many. Yes, many in the system have fought to protect us, but we continue to fail them miserably. Tommy Atkins lives today and he still fails to claim the respect he deserves.

Shoalanda

Bad Heroin?/William Kimbrough

From a reader on our story concerning the four who died and one seriously damaged from a specific batch of heroin:

They didn't die from 'bad' heroin. They od'd because the heroin was more pure than what they're used too. We are hearing it's only being cut 2-3 times instead of 8-9 times. It's more potent not bad. They get what they used before but it's too much and they don't know til it's too late. Watch American Gangster you'll get what were seeing. Someone's gotten an almost direct line to a source and selling it dirt cheap. Yes the dealers should be held more accountable but not sure that will ever happen.

This is only too true, but we have heard of these drugs being cut with rat poison. Nothing would surprise us.

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The dealer arrested in those crimes was William Kimbrough III. With his ears he could give up drug dealing and run his own flying service. (We don't make it a practice to comment on the physical appearance of others, but we'll make an exception for a heroin dealer.)

William Harold Kimbrough III

Shoalanda