NKyTribune staff report
It took more than a year to get heroin dealer Donte Little off the streets of Covington and another 12 months to gain a conviction on drug charges.
If a jury recommendation is followed, however, it could be nearly 40 years before Little sees the outside of a jail cell.
A shoe delivery ultimately led to Little’s arrest.
In the fall of 2014, the Covington Police Department narcotic’s unit, the “D Team,” used a confidential informant (CI) to purchase heroin at locations around Covington on five different days.
Little sold the CI more than 14 grams of heroin at a cost of $2,300. Phone calls to set up the drug deals were recorded and the CI was also equipped with video and audio recording devices.
On the fifth and final drug deal, Det. Jim Coots, now retired, accompanied the CI and witnessed a transaction. Little used a third party to hold the drugs and after the CI paid for the purchase with marked bills, Little was heard telling his accomplice to “give (his) people the shoes.”
The shoes contained seven grams of heroin, which the CI turned over to police.
Little was arrested in December, 2015 and charged with 2 counts of Trafficking in a Controlled Substance 1st Degree (less than 2g heroin) , 2 counts of Trafficking in a Controlled Substance 1st Degree (more than 2g heroin), and 1 count of Complicity to Trafficking in a Controlled Substance 1st Degree (more than 2g heroin).
Assistant Commonwealth’s Attorneys Casey Burns and Corey Plybon presented the evidence on behalf of the Commonwealth and on Dec. 16 of this year, a jury convicted Little on all five counts.
The jury recommended sentences of 4 years on both counts of Trafficking less than 2g, 10 years on both counts of Trafficking more than 2g, and 10 years for Complicity to Trafficking more than 2g. The jury also recommended each of the sentences for the five drug deals run consecutively for a total of 38 years in prison.
Commonwealth’s Attorney Rob Sanders commended the teamwork between prosecutors and narcotics detectives and said the jury’s hefty sentence is “proof Kenton County residents are sick of heroin and will show no mercy to those making money dealing overdose deaths in our community.”
Kenton Circuit Judge Kathleen Lape will formally sentence Little in January.
The Kenton County Commonwealth’s Attorney released a detailed account of the investigation and conviction:
On five different days in the fall of 2014, Covington Police Department’s narcotics unit, known as the “D Team,” utilized a Confidential Informant (CI) to purchase heroin at various locations in downtown Covington.
Detectives would later identify the drug dealer as Donte Little. During each of the drug buys, the CI was equipped with a covert video and audio recording device.
The phone calls made to arrange the drug deals were also recorded. In total, Little sold the CI over 14 grams of heroin for more than $2,300. On the fifth and final drug deal, (now retired) Detective Jim Coots was able to accompany the CI to the buy and actually watched the transaction take place. Coots’ observations proved invaluable as Little unexpectedly had a third party holding his drugs on this occasion.
After the CI gave Little $1,000 in marked funds, Little made a phone call and could be heard telling the person called to “give (his) people the shoes.” Little then sent the CI to another car parked nearby where the occupant gave the CI a pair of shoes.
Inside the shoes, the CI located over 7 grams of heroin which was turned over to detectives.
In order to protect the identity of the CI, Little was not immediately taken into custody. Covington detectives obtained a warrant for Little, who was arrested in December, 2015.
Little was indicted for 2 counts of Trafficking in a Controlled Substance 1st Degree (<2g heroin), 2 counts of Trafficking in a Controlled Substance 1st Degree (>2g heroin), and 1 count of Complicity to Trafficking in a Controlled Substance 1st Degree (>2g heroin).
The case was called for trial on December 14, 2016 before Kenton Circuit Judge Kathleen Lape. Assistant Commonwealth’s Attorneys Casey Burns and Corey Plybon presented the evidence and testimony on behalf of the Commonwealth.
The prosecutors called to the stand (Ret.) Det. Coots, another D Team detective (whose name is not published for security purposes), Kenton County Detention Center Sgt. Robinson, Covington Police Crime Lab Techs Dawn Bayless and Angela Keller, and KY State Police Crime Lab chemist Susan Vanlandingham.
The prosecutors also presented testimony from Kathy Smith of Cincinnati Bell who provided records showing the cell phone called to arrange the deals was formerly registered to Little, even though it was no longer in Little’s name at the time of the drug deals.
Closing arguments were held Friday, December 16, 2016. The jury deliberated for approximately 3 1/2 hours before finding Little guilty of all five counts.
After the “truth in sentencing” phase of the trial, the jury retired again to deliberate sentencing. After 1 1/2 hours, the jury returned sentences of 4 years on both counts of Trafficking <2g, 10 years on both counts of Trafficking >2g, and 10 years for Complicity to Trafficking >2g. The jury also recommended each of the sentences for the five drug deals run consecutively for a total of 38 years in prison.
Commonwealth’s Attorney Rob Sanders said the jury’s hefty sentence is “proof Kenton County residents are sick of heroin and will show no mercy to those making money dealing overdose deaths in our community.”
Sanders also commended the great teamwork between prosecutors and narcotics detectives saying “This was great work by some of the best prosecutors and best detectives you’ll find anywhere in Kentucky.”
Though Little had no prior felony convictions, this was not his first run in with the law, Sanders said. “He may have beat some charges across the river but the evidence these detectives collected was too strong and our prosecutors are too seasoned for Mr. Little to get away with dealing drugs in Kentucky.”
Little will appear before Judge Lape in January for formal, final sentencing.