Murphysboro Resident Pleads Guilty to Crack Cocaine and Firearm Offenses

On April 8, 2015, Martell L. Brown-Wright, a/k/a "Low Key," 29, of Murphysboro, pled guilty to a four-count indictment charging distribution of crack cocaine within 1,000 feet of a public housing facility; possession of crack cocaine with intent to distribute within 1,000 feet of a public housing facility; and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking offense, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of Illinois, Stephen R. Wigginton, announced today.

The indictment asserts that the offenses occurred on September 4-5, 2014, at the New Horizons Housing Complex, in Murphysboro, Jackson County. Evidence at the plea hearing established that Brown-Wright sold crack cocaine to a confidential source working for law enforcement. When agents executed a search warrant at the New Horizons apartment where the drug sales had occurred, they located multiple firearms, crack cocaine, a large amount of U.S. Currency, ammunition, and drug packaging materials.

The crack cocaine offenses carry a penalty of up to 40 years in federal prison, to be followed by 6 years’ supervised release, and a fine of $2,000,000. The firearm offense carries a penalty of 5 years to life imprisonment, followed by 5 years’ supervised release, and a fine of $250,000. Federal law requires that any term of imprisonment imposed on the firearm offense must be served in addition to any term imposed on the drug offenses.

The ongoing investigation is being conducted by the Jackson County Sheriff’s Office and the Murphysboro Police Department. The Jackson County State’s Attorney’s Office assisted in the investigation.

The case is assigned to Assistant United States Attorney Amanda A. Robertson for prosecution.