Jovani Robinson
The man in charge of the Chattanooga branch of the Mafia Insane Vice Lords was sentenced on Wednesday to 70 months in federal prison.
Jovani Robinson appeared before Judge Curtis Collier in the major heroin distribution case.
His wife, Heather Robinson, received the same sentence.
Farrah Westmoreland, who distributed heroin for the Robinsons, got six months to serve and six months on home confinement.
The Robinsons initially faced up to 162 months in prison, but got significant reductions for their help to the government. They testified against James Silas, who was identified as the head of the Mafia Insane Vice Lords nationwide. Silas was convicted after a trial in Chattanooga and is expected to face a lengthy prison sentence.
Also sentenced earlier in the conspiracy were Marlon Eberhardt and Brandon Moore, identified as other heroin suppliers to the Robinsons. They got 10 years each. Eberhardt and Moore are also mafia Insane Vice Lords members, it was stated.
Prosecutors said Jovani Robinson's primary role in the conspiracy was to distribute heroin to street level customers.
Authorities said Ms. Westmoreland would get heroin from the Robinsons at their home in LaFayette, Ga., and deliver the heroin to the Robinsons' customers, most of whom resided in Chattanooga. She would then return to the Robinsons with the money.
Ms. Westmoreland was primarily paid with heroin for her services, it was stated.
Jovani Robinson admitting traveling to Chicago on multiple occasions to get heroin from Silas.
Robinson said a portion of the money he made from drug trafficking went to pay dues to the Mafia Insane Vice Lords. He said some of the money he and other members of the Mafia Insane Vice Lords paid went directly to Silas and that some of the money went to Troy Martin's prison account. Martin was identified as the founder of the Mafia Insane Vice Lords.
Jovani Robinson admitted that he obtained at least 500 grams of heroin from Silas during the course of the conspiracy.
Heather Robinson said she was sorry that she had involved Ms. Westmoreland in the conspiracy.
An attorney for Ms. Westmoreland said she had never been arrested before. He said she suffers from Lupus and had taken opioids for it. He said when the prescriptions ran out for opioids, she turned to heroin. He said she got off heroin "on the concrete floor of a jail" after she was arrested and denied bond.
Judge Collier stressed the extreme seriousness of heroin use, saying some users die from it.
Prosecutor Joseph Wilson said he did not know of anyone who died from heroin obtained during this conspiracy.
But he said, "I wouldn't wish heroin use on anybody. It's a terrible addiction."