Man charged in drug case pleads guilty
He admits conspiring to distribute heroin, meth, will be free until 2022 sentencing
A Pulaski County man who was among 12 people indicted on drug conspiracy charges in 2019 pleaded guilty in federal court Thursday to one count of conspiracy to distribute heroin and methamphetamine.
Justin Lee Nugent, 40, of Little Rock was arrested in May 2019 in Pulaski County on drug and firearms charges, and the following August was among 12 people named in a federal indictment on drug conspiracy charges after a federal investigation into the operations of a drug trafficking ring run by Chico Mahoney Russell.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Anne Gardner told U.S. District Judge Billy Roy Wilson that federal authorities investigating Russell determined that he was supplying heroin to at least 10 other people. She said in January 2019, authorities received authorization to put a wiretap on Russell’s cellphone and intercepted a call between Russell and Nugent.
“Mr. Russell asked Mr. Nugent if he had his drug money for him,” Gardner said. “Mr. Russell explained to Mr. Nugent that he had his own payments he had to make.”
That same day, Gardner said, investigators intercepted a call from Russell to his girlfriend in which he told her he had picked up a quantity of heroin and was on his way with Nugent to her house to break it down for sale. Gardner said that on Jan. 28, investigators intercepted a call from Russell to another co-defendant.
“Mr. Russell advised that he had just gotten a brick of heroin and was needing Mr. Nugent’s help breaking it down and bagging it up for sale,” she said. “On Jan. 31, 2019, during an intercepted call, Mr. Russell told Mr. Nugent that the source of supply was close by.
Mr. Nugent told Mr. Russell that he was moving the money and needed 10 of them, meaning 10 grams of heroin. This call was followed by another about 45 minutes later where Mr. Russell told Mr. Nugent he was on his way and he was close by.”
Wilson then directed his attention to Nugent and his attorney, Erin Cassinelli of Little Rock.
“Where did you grow up, Mr. Nugent?” Wilson asked.
“Right here in Little Rock, Arkansas,” Nugent replied.
“Been here most of your life?” Wilson asked. “Yes, sir,” Nugent said. “Do you have any questions of me or do you want to talk to your lawyer some more before I ask for your plea?”
“No, sir.”
“How do you plead?” Wilson asked.
“Guilty.”
“Is that because you are in truth and in fact guilty?” Yes, sir.”
“Is what Ms. Gardner said accurate?”
“Yes, sir.” “Anything about it that was not accurate?”
“No, sir.”
After accepting Nugent’s plea, Wilson, at Cassinelli’s request, allowed Nugent to remain free on bond until sentencing, saying Nugent was working and had not violated any conditions of his pretrial release.
“Do you think that’s a good idea?” Wilson asked Nugent.
“Yes, sir,” Nugent replied. “OK, that’s what we’re going to do then,” Wilson said, telling Nugent to return to court Feb. 24 for sentencing.
Under U.S. sentencing statutes, Nugent could face a penalty of between 10 years and life in prison, between five years and life on supervised release and a maximum fine of $10 million.
To date, three of the 12 defendants — Chico Mahoney Russell; his son, Jahoney Malik Russell; and Clansey Cole Hedrick — have been sentenced in the case. Chico Russell was sentenced to 21 years, 10 months in prison; Jahoney Russell was sentenced to 37 months in prison; and Hedrick was sentenced to four years of probation.
Of the remaining eight defendants, Terrance Jackson and Elliott Davies have pleaded guilty and are awaiting sentencing. Edmond Battles, Brandon Banks, Adam Besser, Justin McClure, Jasmine Scott and Ashia Brason are scheduled to go to trial July 19.