U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Michigan, Mark Totten, announced that Joseph Michael McNoriell, also known as Mike X, has been sentenced to 110 months in federal prison. McNoriell, a Detroit resident aged 43, was convicted for his involvement in a conspiracy to distribute cocaine and heroin and possession with intent to distribute cocaine. The conviction came on April 18, 2024, following a three-day jury trial.
"Mr. McNoriell helped traffic illegal street drugs across our state, which eventually made it into our neighborhoods – these poisons destroy lives and devastate communities," stated U.S. Attorney Mark Totten. "We will never prosecute our way out of this problem, but we will continue our work to dismantle the regional-level supply lines that distribute drugs across Michigan."
Evidence presented during the trial revealed that McNoriell collaborated with others to transport two kilograms of cocaine from southeast Michigan to Lansing. On June 2, 2022, he used a female drug courier driving a separate vehicle while he followed her in his car to deliver the cocaine. However, investigators from the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) and troopers from the Michigan State Police (MSP) were aware of the delivery plan and seized the cocaine from the courier’s vehicle.
"This investigation emphasizes the mission of the DEA: combatting criminal drug networks like the one Mr. McNoriell was involved in," said DEA Special Agent in Charge Orville O. Greene. "Along with our local, state and federal partners, we will relentlessly pursue individuals and organizations who prioritize greed and profit over human lives."
The case was investigated by multiple agencies including the Drug Enforcement Administration, Michigan State Police, Lansing Police Department, and Holland Department of Public Safety. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Vito S. Solitro and LaToyia T. Carpenter.