St. Phillips Street Boys face 10 years to life for cocaine distribution

Staff Report

MOBILE – Two of the 15 St. Phillips Street Boys, taken down in an early morning raid of four houses on St. Phillips Street in Selma in late July, have pled guilty in federal court to conspiracy to distribute crack cocaine.

Both men are facing at least10 years to life in prison, court officials said, based on the amount of drugs the two admitted to having sold, court officials said.

Christopher Ford, also known as “C-Ford,” and Derrick Andre Daniels, also known as “D-Daniel,” both admitted their participation in the conspiracy and their involvement in the distribution of crack cocaine in excess of 50 grams, according to the United States Attorney’s Office. The 13 other defendants are scheduled to go to trial in U.S. District Court in November 2006.

Ford and Daniels, who were arrested as the result of an 18-month investigation of open-air drug sales of marijuana, crack and powdered cocaine in the St. Phillips St. area, entered guilty pleas to the conspiracy count of the superceding indictment before Chief U.S. District Judge Callie V.S. Granade.

In written statements filed with the court as well as during the plea hearing, Ford and Daniels admitted their guilt, said Deborah J. Rhodes, U.S. attorney for the Southern District of Alabama.

Ford is scheduled for sentencing on Dec. 18, 2006, and Daniels is scheduled for sentencing on Jan. 27, 2007, authorities said.

The investigation of this case has been conducted by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives, in close cooperation with the Selma Police Department.

The case is being prosecuted by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Alabama.