Willie Aikens - Arrest

Arrest

Aikens was called to testify in the Pittsburgh drug trials of Curtis Strong as his major league career was winding down. His legal problems continued after his retirement, culminating in his being found guilty of selling fifty grams of crack cocaine to an undercover police officer and sentenced to twenty years and eight months in prison.

Aikens had developed a heavy cocaine habit and, by his own admission, was constantly using the drug from 1991 to 1994. Supposedly, a former lover tipped off the Kansas City, Missouri Police Department that Aikens was selling narcotics at his home. Consequently, in December 1993, the police put Aikens' condominium under surveillance. The police observed numerous individuals entering Aikens' home and then exiting after a brief stay. On December 8, 1993, an undercover police officer named Ginger Locke approached Aikens standing in the garage of his condominium and asked for directions. After Aikens gave Locke directions, he told her that he was listed in the phone book and asked her to call him sometime.

Locke called Aikens numerous times in order to establish a rapport with him. On January 18, 1994, Locke called Aikens and told him that she had loaned her car to a friend, and that the friend had been caught with some "stuff," referring to crack cocaine, in the car. Locke's story initiated a discussion about narcotics. Eventually, Aikens let Locke know that he could get her "all the stuff" she wanted.

Later that day, Locke drove to Aikens' home and asked him if she could buy an "eight ball," i.e. an eighth of an ounce of cocaine. Aikens asked Locke if she wanted her cocaine "hard," (crack form), or "soft," (powder form). She replied that she wanted it "hard." Aikens pointed to some crack cocaine sitting on an ottoman in his den and indicated that he did not have a full "eight ball" of crack on hand. He told Locke that he would have to make some more.

Using equipment which he kept in his den, Aikens quickly proceeded to make crack by mixing powder cocaine with baking soda in a glass beaker, pouring water on it, heating it with a hand-held torch, baking it in a microwave, and then rinsing it with cold water. Aikens weighed some of the crack that he had made, along with some of the crack which he already possessed, on a dial-a-gram scale, and sold it to Locke for $200.

On January 24, 1994, Locke visited Aikens' home to buy more cocaine. Aikens had Locke drive him to his supplier's Kansas City home, where he used Locke's money to purchase powder cocaine. On the way back to Aikens' home, Aikens had Locke stop at stores where he could buy beakers and baking powder. When Aikens and Locke returned to Aikens' home, Aikens converted the powder cocaine into crack, and he sold the crack to Locke.

On January 28 and February 23 of 1994, Locke returned to Aikens' home and arranged to buy more crack. On each occasion, Aikens called a supplier and had Locke accompany him while he obtained powder cocaine. On each occasion, Aikens converted the powder into crack upon returning to his home and sold the crack cocaine to Locke. In total, Aikens ending up selling about 2.2 ounces to the undercover cop.

He was arrested on March 2, 1994, and after a March 17 mistrial, a grand jury indicted Aikens on four charges of crack cocaine distribution in violation of 21 U.S.C on March 25.

Because of the tougher federal guidelines for crack, he was sentenced as if he had sold fifteen pounds of powder cocaine. He received the maximum sentence of fifteen years and eight months, and received an additional five years because he allegedly had a loaded gun in the room where the drugs were sold.