Jury finds metro-east man guilty of federal drug and weapons crimes

A metro-east man faces up to 35 years in federal prison after a jury found him guilty of multiple drug and weapons crimes.

Demarkee D. Jimerson, 45, of Cahokia Heights, was convicted in the U.S. Court for the Southern District of Illinois Wednesday on felony counts of possession of cocaine base with intent to distribute, felon in possession of a firearm, and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime.

The possession charge is punishable of up to 20 years in prison with 10 additional years possible for possessing a gun with a prior felony conviction. Using a gun in a drug trafficking crime carries a mandatory five year sentence. Sentencing is scheduled at the federal courthouse in East St. Louis on Aug. 27.

“Armed drug dealers belong in federal prison,” said U.S. Attorney Steven D. Weinhoeft in a statement. “Demarkee Jimerson was a gun-toting felon pedaling crack cocaine and methamphetamine, and he’s heading to federal prison, where he belongs. I appreciate the work of our attorneys who tried the case and the law enforcement professionals who investigated the case. Their work has made our community safer.”

According to court records, Jimerson split his time between Cahokia Heights and Las Vegas and transported drugs obtained from a California supplier via commercial airlines. He sometimes traveled under the alias “Aaron Gregory” due to an outstanding warrant in Missouri for parole violations.

On a tip, agents watched Jimerson’s residence on David Drive and saw “frequent short visits,” which are often associated with drug activity, an affidavit written by an agent with the Drug Enforcement Administration said.

In July 2021, DEA agents served a search warrant on Jimerson’s home and recovered 88 grams of cocaine base, meth, MDMA, marijuana, nine firearms including two AR-15s, and ammunition. Fake identification cards from two states and credit cards under his alias also were discovered, court records say.

Jimerson had previously been convicted of felony drug distribution offenses.

DEA led the investigation, and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Karelia Rajagopal and Tom Leggans are prosecuting the case.

Arguments in the trial began Tuesday and the jury returned guilty verdicts on the three charges Wednesday.

This story was originally published April 24, 2025 at 3:58 PM.