Three men have been jailed for dealing Class A drugs in Swindon following an investigation by Wiltshire Police’s Serious and Organised Crime Unit (SOCU).
Ayo Awoyera, 29, formerly of Chestnut Avenue, Pinehurst, Kenneth Brown, 46, of Raleigh Avenue, Swindon, and Dejuan Stewart-Richards, 29, of Warwick Grove, Hackney, were sentenced to a combined total of 13 years in prison for being concerned in the supply of heroin and crack cocaine.
Arrests and investigation
On March 5, officers arrested Awoyera in Middleton Close, Swindon, on suspicion of drugs offences following community intelligence. During the arrest, police executed a warrant at a linked address in Gresham Close, where they found heroin and crack cocaine stored in a safe. The key to the safe was later discovered in Awoyera’s possession.
Kenneth Brown was also located at the property and found in possession of Class A drugs. A mobile phone seized from him revealed his significant involvement in local drug supply networks.
Prior to the warrant, officers had tracked Awoyera’s movements and saw him transfer an object from his Kia Rio to a BMW driven by Stewart-Richards, who had travelled from London to Swindon earlier that day.
Stewart-Richards was arrested shortly afterwards, and officers seized £4,000 in cash, believed to be the proceeds of the drug deal. Enquiries revealed an ongoing arrangement between the men to distribute Class A drugs in the area.
Court results
All three were charged with being concerned in the supply of heroin and crack cocaine and remanded in custody.
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Ayo Awoyera – pleaded guilty and was jailed for five years and six months.
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Kenneth Brown – pleaded guilty and was jailed for five years and six months.
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Dejuan Stewart-Richards – found guilty at trial and sentenced to 27 months.
Police statement
Detective Constable Jared Yalden from SOCU said:
“We know the significant impact that Class A drugs have on society, which is why we proactively target those who deal them in our communities.
“As well as the health impact on users, there’s the associated violence among dealers and the wider criminality that drugs fuel, such as shoplifting.
“We will continue to proactively target people like Awoyera, Brown and Stewart-Richards to make Wiltshire a safer place for everyone.”
