An inmate authorities say helped hatch a plan to steal firearms and drugs from the Greenwood Police Department has pleaded guilty in federal court, according to court documents.
Cedrick Lowery, 30, pleaded guilty to conspiracy, stealing five Colt M-16 machine guns, possessing and intending to distribute marijuana and being a felon in possession of a firearm. Federal Judge Sharion Aycock accepted the guilty pleas Monday at the federal courthouse in Aberdeen.
Lowery, who as part of his plea agreement has agreed to cooperate with investigators, faces a maximum of 30 years in prison. A sentencing date has not been set.
A 19-count indictment charged Lowery and seven others with taking part in the theft of more than 15 weapons from the Police Department during a four-month span in late 2005 and early 2006.
The indictment was filed Dec. 10 but did not come to light until early March.
Of the eight people indicted for having roles in the heist, four were inmates, one was a city employee, one was a Leflore County employee and two were girlfriends of inmates.
Lowery and Freddie McGee were inmates assigned to cleanup duties at the Police Department when the thefts occurred. Authorities say Lowery, who at the time was serving a 10-year prison term for car theft and receiving stolen property, climbed through a ceiling inside a break room in order to gain access to a secure closet where firearms were kept.
“Once inside the closet, Lowery handed multiple guns over the wall to McGee,” the indictment reads.
In all, 11 Smith and Wesson .40-caliber handguns and five Colt M-16 machine guns were stolen from the department. Roughly 90 pounds of marijuana also went missing.
According to the indictment, the guns were destined for Chicago’s black market.
Greenwood Police Chief Henry Purnell said this morning that the case is still being investigated.
“They are working with and talking to the people they’ve got now,” he said.
“Hopefully, the rest will plead guilty.”
Purnell said the majority of the guns had been recovered in Chicago by the U.S. Treasury Department’s division of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms.
No Greenwood Police Officers were indicted.
The indicted were:
nLowery, an inmate housed at the Community Work Center in Greenwood. He was charged with conspiracy, stealing the handguns and the machine guns, possession of a firearm by a convicted felon and lying to federal agents. As part of his plea deal, charges involving the handgun thefts and lying to authorities were dropped.
nMcGee, an inmate housed at the Community Work Center. McGee, known as “Fox,” worked at the Police Department. He was charged with conspiracy, stealing the handguns and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon.
nAndre Redmond, an inmate housed at the Community Work Center. Redmond worked for the Leflore County Road Department. He was charged with conspiracy, stealing the handguns and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon.
nDerek Salley, an employee of the Leflore County Road Department. Salley, known as “Dee,” was Redmond’s supervisor at the time the firearms were stolen. He was charged with conspiracy, stealing the handguns and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. Salley has not worked for the county since October 2007.
nJennifer McGee, Redmond’s girlfriend when the handguns were stolen. She was charged with conspiracy.
nJohn Champ Smith, an inmate housed at the Community Work Center. Smith was charged with stealing the machine guns and possession of a firearm by a felon.
The indictment also charged Lowery, McGee, Theressa “Ree Ann” Skinner and John Brewer, a city employee who worked as a janitor, with possessing and intending to distribute less than 110 pounds of marijuana between Aug. 1, 2005, and Sept. 24, 2005.
Brewer is no longer employed by the city. According to Purnell, Brewer has also pleaded guilty.
A federal trial is slated for June 15 in Aberdeen for Salley, Redmond and Jennifer McGee. Aycock will preside.
Smith, Skinner and Freddie McGee have already pleaded guilty. McGee has agreed to cooperate with investigators.
According to the indictment, after Lowery passed several handguns to McGee, they put the weapons in a garbage bag and moved them to a closet at City Hall, which adjoins the Police Department in downtown Greenwood.
Lowery telephoned Redmond, telling him there was something for him to pick up at City Hall. Redmond then asked his supervisor, Salley, to drive him to City Hall in the county’s truck.
Lowery and McGee put the garbage bag containing the guns in a five-gallon bucket. Lowery and Redmond put the bucket on the back of the truck, and Redmond and Salley left.
When later questioned by Salley as to what he planned to do with the guns, Redmond said his “Uncle Blood” in Chicago might buy the weapons.
Salley drove the truck home that evening, leaving it parked, along with the guns, in his driveway overnight.
The next day, Redmond and Salley met Jennifer McGee in Greenwood and put the weapons in her car. Redmond told McGee to take the weapons to Lexington, where they were delivered to an unnamed cousin of his.
The Associated Press contributed to this story.
