Jackson, Tennessee - David Kustoff, United States Attorney for the Western District of Tennessee announced today that MARCELLUS MARTIN, 31, of Madison County pled guilty today in Federal District Court, in Jackson, Tennessee, before Judge James D. Todd.  MARTIN pled guilty to Conspiracy to distribute in excess of 5 kilograms of a mixture and substance containing a detectable amount of cocaine.

The evidence showed that MARTIN conspired with others from about 1996 until May of 2006 to obtain cocaine in order to establish a cocaine distribution network in the Western District of Tennessee to distribute kilograms of cocaine.   

 The conspiracy charge carries a penalty of not less than 10 years in prison and a $4,000,000 fine.  MARTIN will be sentenced on July 9, 2008, in Federal District Court, in Jackson, Tennessee, by Judge James D. Todd.

The investigation was  handled by the Drug Enforcement Administration,  Federal Bureau of Investigation, IRS, Tennessee Bureau of Investigation, Jackson Police Department, JPD Gang Unit, Madison County Sheriff’s Department, Metro Narcotic’s, West Tennessee Violent Crime and Drug Task Force, Memphis Police Department and the Shelby County Sheriff’s Department.  Assistant United States Attorney Jerry Kitchen and Victor Ivy  handled the case for the government.