Kenneth Watkins, 28, also known as "DJ Blaze" and "DJ Hog Head Cheese" testified that he is "one of the hottest DJs in the U.S.,
Kenneth Watkins, 28, also known as "DJ Blaze" and "DJ Hog Head Cheese" testified that he is "one of the hottest DJs in the U.S., claiming to be 'world renowned'" according to a news release issued Wednesday by the U.S. Attorney's office in Dallas, which prosecuted the case."He is affiliated with the Ideal Talent Agency in Atlanta, which, according to its web-site, features well-known Hip Hop artists such as 3-6 Mafia, 50 Cent, Jay-Z and Mike Jones. Kenneth Watkins has been featured on XM Radio," the release said.
Watkins' celebrity status apparently didn't register much with the jury. What did sway them, though, turned out to be the $3 million in cocaine he was caught hauling.
Following a two-day trial held before U.S. District Judge Robert Junell in San Angelo, a jury deliberated less than two hours before convicting Kenneth Watkins on both counts of an indictment charging conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute five kilograms or more of cocaine and possession with intent to distribute five kilograms or more of cocaine, announced U.S. Attorney Richard B. Roper of the Northern District of Texas. Watkins, 28, faces a maximum statutory sentence of life in prison; he is scheduled to be sentenced by Judge Junell on November 7, 2008.Watkins, who is also known as "DJ Blaze" and "DJ Hog Head Cheese," took the stand at his trial and stated that he is one of the hottest DJs in the U.S., claiming to be "world-renowned." He is affiliated with the Ideal Talent Agency in Atlanta, which, according to its web-site, features well-known Hip Hop artists such as 3-6 Mafia, 50 Cent, Jay-Z and Mike Jones. Kenneth Watkins has been featured on XM Radio. The government presented evidence at trial that Watkins, and his co-defendant, Steven Alexander Aaron, 37, were arrested on April 22, 2008, after their eastbound vehicle, a tractor-trailer car hauler, was stopped by a West Central Texas Interlocal Crime Task Force Officer on Interstate 20, near mile marker 266, in Taylor County, Texas, because it didn't have secure chains or a license plate. Aaron was driving the vehicle; Watkins was the sole passenger. The car hauler was loaded with a maroon Chrysler minivan and a black Range Rover. After obtaining Aaron's consent, the officers searched the tractor-trailer and the two loaded vehicles, and discovered six bricks of cocaine in a black backpack in the rear hatch of the Range Rover. Testimony at trial showed that Watkins had hidden the backpack in the Range Rover. The street value of the cocaine in the backpack is approximately $3 million.
Court documents show that on two previous occasions, Aaron and Watkins had transported substantial quantities of illegal drugs from Phoenix to Atlanta. Aaron and Watkins would generally meet in the Atlanta area and load vehicles onto the car hauler and transport them to Phoenix, specifically using the vehicles to conceal the illegal narcotics from law enforcement. Upon arriving in Phoenix, several individuals would load the vehicles with illegal narcotics and Aaron and Watkins would then drive the tractor-trailer car hauler back to Atlanta.
Steven Alexander Aaron pled guilty prior to trial to conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute five kilograms or more of cocaine and is also scheduled to be sentenced on November 7, 2008.
U.S. Attorney Roper praised the excellent investigative efforts of the West Central Texas Interlocal Crime Task Force, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Texas Department of Public Safety, the Abilene Police Department, and the Taylor County Sheriff's Office.
Watkins' celebrity status apparently didn't register much with the jury. What did sway them, though, turned out to be the $3 million in cocaine he was caught hauling.
Following a two-day trial held before U.S. District Judge Robert Junell in San Angelo, a jury deliberated less than two hours before convicting Kenneth Watkins on both counts of an indictment charging conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute five kilograms or more of cocaine and possession with intent to distribute five kilograms or more of cocaine, announced U.S. Attorney Richard B. Roper of the Northern District of Texas. Watkins, 28, faces a maximum statutory sentence of life in prison; he is scheduled to be sentenced by Judge Junell on November 7, 2008.Watkins, who is also known as "DJ Blaze" and "DJ Hog Head Cheese," took the stand at his trial and stated that he is one of the hottest DJs in the U.S., claiming to be "world-renowned." He is affiliated with the Ideal Talent Agency in Atlanta, which, according to its web-site, features well-known Hip Hop artists such as 3-6 Mafia, 50 Cent, Jay-Z and Mike Jones. Kenneth Watkins has been featured on XM Radio. The government presented evidence at trial that Watkins, and his co-defendant, Steven Alexander Aaron, 37, were arrested on April 22, 2008, after their eastbound vehicle, a tractor-trailer car hauler, was stopped by a West Central Texas Interlocal Crime Task Force Officer on Interstate 20, near mile marker 266, in Taylor County, Texas, because it didn't have secure chains or a license plate. Aaron was driving the vehicle; Watkins was the sole passenger. The car hauler was loaded with a maroon Chrysler minivan and a black Range Rover. After obtaining Aaron's consent, the officers searched the tractor-trailer and the two loaded vehicles, and discovered six bricks of cocaine in a black backpack in the rear hatch of the Range Rover. Testimony at trial showed that Watkins had hidden the backpack in the Range Rover. The street value of the cocaine in the backpack is approximately $3 million.
Court documents show that on two previous occasions, Aaron and Watkins had transported substantial quantities of illegal drugs from Phoenix to Atlanta. Aaron and Watkins would generally meet in the Atlanta area and load vehicles onto the car hauler and transport them to Phoenix, specifically using the vehicles to conceal the illegal narcotics from law enforcement. Upon arriving in Phoenix, several individuals would load the vehicles with illegal narcotics and Aaron and Watkins would then drive the tractor-trailer car hauler back to Atlanta.
Steven Alexander Aaron pled guilty prior to trial to conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute five kilograms or more of cocaine and is also scheduled to be sentenced on November 7, 2008.
U.S. Attorney Roper praised the excellent investigative efforts of the West Central Texas Interlocal Crime Task Force, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Texas Department of Public Safety, the Abilene Police Department, and the Taylor County Sheriff's Office.
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