Repeat Cocaine Kingpin Robert Shepherd Sentenced To 13 Years In Federal Prison

WILMINGTON, Del. – A Philadelphia drug trafficker with ties to Wilmington was sentenced by Chief U.S. District Judge Leonard P. Stark on Wednesday, June 26, 2019, to 13 years in prison for conspiring to distribute cocaine.  According to court documents and statements made in open court, defendant Robert Shepherd, III, 43, originally from Wilmington, lived an extravagant lifestyle in Philadelphia funded by trafficking cocaine.  Shepherd sent kilogram quantities of that cocaine to co-defendant Brian Wilson in Wilmington, Delaware.[1]

Shepherd’s conviction is the result of a long-term New Castle County High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area (“HIDTA”) investigation spearheaded by the FBI Delaware Violent Crime Safe Streets Taskforce.  Investigators seized four firearms, over five kilograms of cocaine, and roughly 150 grams of heroin as part of the case.  This was Shepherd’s second federal drug conviction.  The defendant was sentenced in 2010 for his leading role in distributing over 100 kilograms of cocaine in Philadelphia and Wilmington.  Shepherd was under supervision by the federal court at the time that he committed this second drug trafficking offense.

U.S. Attorney Weiss stated, “Robert Shepherd has made a career off the suffering of Delawareans addicted to illegal drugs.  The Court’s sentence demonstrates that large scale traffickers will be punished significantly for their crimes.  My office will continue to work with our law enforcement partners to ensure that career drug traffickers like Mr. Shepherd are brought to justice.”

Assistant U.S. Attorney Christopher L. de Barrena-Sarobe prosecuted the case.  The FBI was assisted in this case by Wilmington Police Department and the Delaware Attorney General’s Office.

The FBI Delaware Violent Crime Safe Streets Taskforce is a part of the New Castle County HIDTA, comprised of the Delaware State Police, Delaware Department of Probation and Parole, New Castle County Police Department, University of Delaware Police Department, and Wilmington Police Department.   

A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Delaware. Related court documents and information is located on the website of the District of Delaware for the District of Delaware or on PACER by searching for Case No. 1:16-cr-00093.

[1] Four months ago, Wilson was sentenced to 21 years in prison; he is currently pending trial for conspiracy to commit murder in New Castle County Superior Court.