Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives

On September 8, 2015, Ayiko L. Paulette, 40, of East St. Louis, Illinois, pled guilty to a superseding indictment charging him with Conspiracy to Distribute Controlled Substances, Maintaining a Drug-Involved Premises, being a Felon in Possession of Firearms, Distribution of Cocaine, Interstate Travel In Support of Racketeering, and Conspiracy to Obstruct Justice, Stephen R. Wigginton, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Illinois, announced today.

Sentencing in the matter is set for January 13, 2016, at 1:30 p.m. before United States District Judge Nancy J. Rosenstengel. At sentencing, Paulette faces a minimum of 20 years in federal prison, to a maximum of Life in prison, a fine of up to $10,000,000, at least 10 years’ supervised release, and a $100 special assessment per count.

Evidence in support of this prosecution was obtained in an investigation which was conducted under the auspices of the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF). The OCDETF initiative is designed to bring federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies and resources together to identify, target and dismantle large national and international drug trafficking organizations. Agencies participating in this case include the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Internal Revenue Service, Criminal Investigations, the United States Marshals Service, the Illinois State Police, and the East St. Louis Police Department. This case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Donald S. Boyce.

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