ATLANTA — A man responsible for moving hundreds of kilograms of cocaine from Houston, Texas to Atlanta each week has been sentenced to prison.
A federal jury deliberated for six hours before returning guilty verdicts on Oct. 31, 2023 on all counts against Ronald Brown following a six-day trial.
He was found guilty of a conspiracy to commit murder for hire, intentional killing related to drug trafficking, two counts of using a firearm in the commission of a murder, kidnapping, using a firearm in relation to the kidnapping, and conspiracy to distribute and possession with the intent to distribute cocaine.
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During his trial, Brown’s repeated attempts to intimidate, influence, and kill witnesses were recounted during witnesses’ testimony.
Several witnesses testified about working directly for Brown.
They said he was responsible for moving as much as 100 to 200 kilograms of cocaine each week from Houston to Atlanta on 18-wheeler trucks and car haulers.
On April 23, 2014, Brown and others kidnapped an associate, zip-tied his arms and legs, and put him in the trunk of Brown’s girlfriend’s car.
The victim was able to escape the trunk and was picked up by a good Samaritan, but Brown chased them and shot at them repeatedly.
The good Samaritan was shot in the upper body and Brown’s associate was shot in the head.
Both survived.
Brown decided to kill another associate and was able to get the date of the man’s next parole visit.
Through a middleman, Brown hired a shooter and gave him a handgun.
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Following that parole visit on July 1, 2014, the victim returned to his vehicle in the parking lot where the shooter shot him multiple times at close range as the victim sat in the driver’s seat.
He died at the scene.
After the killing, Brown met the shooter and middleman in the parking lot of the grocery store and paid them $20,000.
Brown was sentenced to serve life in federal prison.
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