United States V. Cappas

CUDAHY, Circuit Judge. John Cappas ran a cocaine ring that operated primarily in Chicago's southwest suburbs. He and several of his associates were charged in a 49-count indictment. Nineteen defendants pled guilty, though Cappas and a few others went to trial. Cappas was convicted on 24 of the 27 counts with which he was charged, including one count of conspiring to possess and distribute cocaine in violation of 21 U.S.C. § 846, one count of running a continuing criminal enterprise (CCE), 21 U.S.C. § 848, and three counts of using a gun in connection with a drug offense, 18 U.S.C. § 924(c). He was sentenced to 45 years in prison: 30 year concurrent terms on the CCE and conspiracy counts (which were to run concurrent with the sentences on each of the remaining counts other than the three "use of a firearm" counts), and--as § 924(c) then required--consecutive five-year terms on each of the three firearm counts.