Springfield, Ill. – A federal grand jury today charged two Springfield men in unrelated cases with distribution of crack cocaine in Springfield, as announced by U.S. Attorney Rodger A. Heaton of the Central District of Illinois.

One indictment charges Aumaurionne M. Flowers, 29, of the 2100 block of East Jackson Street, with distribution of crack cocaine on May 15, 2009 and with distribution of five grams or more of crack cocaine on July 9, 2009.

If convicted, the statutory penalty is a mandatory minimum term of 10 years in prison and up to life.

The charges are the result of an investigation by the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Central Illinois Enforcement Group, the Illinois State Police, and the Springfield Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jason M. Bohm is prosecuting the case.

Flowers was arrested in Springfield on July 9, 2009 and was charged in a federal complaint filed on July 10, 2009. During a court appearance before U.S. Magistrate Judge Byron G. Cudmore on July 13, 2009, Flowers waived his right to a detention hearing and was ordered detained in the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service pending trial.

According to the affidavit filed in support of the criminal complaint, Flowers was on federal supervised release for a conviction in 2003 for distribution of crack cocaine. He was released from federal prison in May 2008. Law enforcement agents began their investigation after the U.S. Probation Officer supervising Flowers advised agents that Flowers had purchased a vehicle for approximately $15,000 and had paid $5,000 in cash towards the purchase. At that time, according to the affidavit, Flowers reported to his probation officer that his monthly income was approximately $600. The affidavit alleges Flowers made two controlled sales of crack cocaine to a confidential source, on May 15 and on July 8, 2009.

In an unrelated case, the grand jury charged Will A. Goines, Jr., 29, of the 1800 block of East Pine Street, with three counts of distribution of crack cocaine: five or more grams of crack cocaine on February 5, 2009; 50 or more grams of crack cocaine on February 12, 2009; and five or more grams of crack cocaine on May 11, 2009.

The charges are the result of an investigation by the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Sangamon County Sheriff’s Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Gregory M. Gilmore is prosecuting the case.

A criminal complaint was filed in the Central District of Illinois on June 10, 2009. Goines was arrested on June 30, 3009, in the Northern District of Illinois. The case was unsealed on July 23, when Goines appeared in the Central District of Illinois before U.S. Magistrate Judge Byron G. Cudmore in Springfield. Goines waived a detention and preliminary hearing and was ordered detained in the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service pending trial.

According to the affidavit filed in support of the criminal complaint, Goines allegedly made three controlled sales of crack cocaine to a confidential source in 2009: on February 9; February 12; and, on May 11, 2009.

If convicted of distribution of five or more grams of crack cocaine, Goines faces a mandatory minimum 10 years to life in prison; if convicted of distribution of 50 or more grams of crack cocaine, Goines faces mandatory life in prison.

Members of the public are reminded that an indictment is merely an accusation; the defendants are presumed innocent unless proven guilty.