Alleged drug associate of mayor’s ex-son-in-law indicted
September 7, 2007 at 8:11 pm by Mara Shalhoup in BMF, NewsAt a bond hearing today in U.S. District Court in Atlanta, a federal prosecutor described an alleged drug runner named Ernest Watkins as the man who gave the mayor’s former son-in-law the murder weapon used to kill a potential witness.
That witness, according to assistant U.S. Attorney Russell Phillips, was considering testifying against their drug organization.
Watkins was described as a close drug associate of Tremayne Graham, who was married to Mayor Shirley Franklin’s daughter when he was indicted in 2004 on federal drug charges — and later jumped bond. Graham went on the run less than two months after his co-defendant, Ulysses Hackett, was gunned down along with his girlfriend inside her Highland Avenue condo.
It also was alleged at the hearing that Watkins was tied to the multi-state drug ring the Black Mafia Family; that he had access to a private jet and helped move cash and shipments of 150-plus kilos of cocaine between Atlanta and L.A.; and that he assisted in Graham’s flight from Georgia after Graham became a fugitive in 2004.
According to Phillips, Watkins rented a car for Graham after he fled, then drove him to Tennessee. From there, Graham drove himself to Texas and flew to California, where he was arrested seven months later, in June 2005. In April 2007, Graham was sentenced to life in prison for his role in the drug ring.
The indictment against Watkins was filed last month in federal court in Greenville, S.C., where Graham was indicted four years ago and where cocaine was funneled from Atlanta by Graham’s organization. However, the indictment wasn’t unsealed until Sept. 5, after Watkins, an Atlanta native, turned himself in on a federal warrant.
Two other men, Jacob Reyes and Javier Machado, also were named in the indictment against Watkins. According to Phillips, Reyes was granted bond — and has since disappeared. “He’s a fugitive at this time,” Phillips told U.S. District Court Judge Christopher Hagy.
Watkins, who was interviewed by federal officials investigating Graham’s case and testified before a Greenville grand jury, faces charges of perjury for allegedly making false statements. He’s also charged with cocaine conspiracy charges.
Watkins’ attorney, Dwight Thomas, said at today’s hearing that the government’s evidence regarding the alleged revenge killing, the origin of the murder weapon, and other assistance Watkins allegedly gave Graham came from disreputable sources — informants who faced federal charges themselves.
“There was a false perception that Mr. Ulyssess Hackett was going to cooperate,” said Thomas, a prominent Atlanta attorney whose clients have included DeKalb CEO Vernon Jones, Gold Club defendant Reginald Burney and convicted Black Mafia Family associate Kenneth Harvey. “The murder has not been solved. No one has been arrested for it.”
In response to the prosecution’s chilling claim that Watkins’ arms and back bare scars “as a result of being held and tortured by people who were involved in this drug organization,” Thomas said the allegation was hogwash, based on “hearsay, street rumor and gossip.” The scars, he said, came from a motorcycle accident.
At the hearing’s conclusion, the judge agreed to grant Watkins a $100,000 bond.
“There is a presumption of risk to the community,” Judge Hagy said. “That disturbs me.”
But Watkins’ clean criminal history — and the circumspect nature of his accusers — convinced the judge to offer bond. “I don’t like to deal with hearsay,” he said.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office intends to appeal the decision.
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