Grand Rapids, MI A federal jury convicted Calvin Charles Colbert, Jr., of Los Angeles, California, of federal drug trafficking and money laundering conspiracy offenses following a five-day trial, U.S. Attorney Andrew Birge announced today. Colbert is one of ten defendants who were convicted for their roles in connection with the conspiracies, which was led locally by Johaun Lamont Howland, of Grand Rapids. Shortly before trial, Howland pled guilty to the drug trafficking and money laundering conspiracies involving Colbert, and to firearms charges.
From January 2017 through September 2018, Colbert was Howland s Los Angeles-based source for cocaine, crystal methamphetamine, heroin, and fentanyl. Colbert used the United States Postal Service and other interstate carriers to ship large quantities of drugs to Howland, who would further distribute the drugs in Grand Rapids and surrounding areas.