LITTLE ROCK -- Two people charged with being part of a drug distribution ring broken up in 2019 by federal authorities pleaded guilty Friday to one count each of conspiracy to distribute fentanyl, a powerful, synthetic opioid similar to morphine but 50 to 100 times more potent and has been linked to thousands of overdose deaths in the United States.
Malcolm Xavier Medley, 29, of Little Rock, and Jessica Angel Vail, 25, of Conway, entered guilty pleas Friday in federal court before U.S. District Judge Kristine G. Baker; each could face a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison an a fine of $1 million upon sentencing.
Medley and Vail were among 23 defendants indicted by a federal grand jury as part of a fentanyl distribution ring authorities said was run by Clifton Williams of Little Rock. Medley was represented by Leslie Borgognoni, and Vail was represented by James Winnfield Wyatt.
Medley, who has been free on bond since October 2019, arrived in court accompanied by his parents and his girlfriend. Vail, who is in federal custody, was escorted into court by federal marshals.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Benecia Moore told Baker that investigators began looking into Williams' activities in June 2018, and the following September, received authorization for a wiretap on Williams' cellphone for three weeks. That wiretap, she said, revealed that Medley was assisting Williams with his drug trafficking activities.
"Specifically," Moore said, "because Williams did not have a car, Medley drove Williams around so that Williams could sell fentanyl to his customers."
In one day, Medley was overheard by monitoring agents in 17 separate calls while Williams was talking to customers, Moore said. In addition, she said on at least three occasions Medley tried to sell firearms to Williams.
"In total, Medley was intercepted in over 30 phone calls and text messages during the three weeks the FBI was on the wiretap on Clifton Williams' telephone," Moore said.
From that same wiretap, Moore said investigators learned that Williams was supplying Vail with fentanyl that she purchased for her own personal use and for sale to others. Over the course of the three weeks, she said Vail was intercepted a number of times arranging to buy fentanyl from Williams in gram or half-gram quantities.
"Jessica Vail was intercepted in over 250 calls and text messages during the three weeks FBI was on the wiretap on Clifton Williams' telephone," Moore said.
She said the amount of fentanyl attributed to Medley was between four and 8 grams and the amount attributed to Vail was between 16 and 24 grams.
Baker said she will set dates for sentencing hearings for both defendants after completion of pre-sentencing reports, which she said takes about 90 days.
Following the hearings, Medley was allowed to remain free on bond at Borgognoni's request. She pointed out that Medley is currently working two jobs and is living with and caring for his grandmother, who is blind. Borgognoni said that Medley's strong family ties should preclude any problems as he awaits sentencing.
Moore did not object to or endorse the request, saying she would defer to the court in the matter.
Vail, who has been in pretrial detention at the Pulaski County jail since Aug. 3 and was taken into custody by the U.S. Marshals Service on a detainer from a state prison on May 4 of last year, was returned to custody after her plea hearing.
Of the remaining 21 co-defendants, 11, including Williams, are scheduled to go on trial June 13. Two have entered guilty pleas and are awaiting sentencing, two are scheduled for plea hearings in the next two months, two have been sentenced and charges against one defendant were dismissed.