The law finally caught up with Bahama Village drug dealer Kenny Alston, 37. He may now be facing life in prison. On Monday, he pled guilty in federal court to eight counts of an indictment charging numerous narcotics trafficking violations.
Back in November 1997, some Bahama Village residents were questioning how Alston— an ex-convict and a known drug dealer with 19 arrests over a 10-year period— was able to continue to remain on the street. Those questions were reflected in a page one story in Key West The Newspaper, headlined "Alleged Drug Dealer Out On Bond— Once Again."
When that story appeared on November 21, 1997, Alston had just been listed on the Crimestoppers TV show as one of the Ten Most Wanted fugitives in the state. But on the morning after the broadcast, Alston was seen riding a bicycle at the corner of Emma Street and Truman Avenue. He stopped to speak to a woman.
Three police cars passed while the couple was chatting on the curb. One officer even stopped his car to speak with the woman.
Sgt. James Daniels, who, at that time, headed the Key West Police Department's Special Operations unit, later told KWTN that Alston was not arrested that morning because, the previous evening, he had turned himself in and was out on bond.
The charge? Violating probation. He was reportedly back out on the street within an hour.
"Alston is definitely a big hitter," Daniels said. "He is one of the top suppliers in Bahama Village. "But he's street smart and he's got an intimidating, expensive Miami lawyer."
At that time, Alston was represented by Mel Black, the same attorney who defended former Key West Mayor Dennis Wardlow against federal bribery charges in 1995. Wardlow was acquitted.
"We keep catching and arresting Alston," Daniels said, "but the courts keep letting him go."
According to police records, Alston went to jail in 1991 for carnal intercourse with a person under 18. Alston was 27. Since then, he has been arrested on drug charges, repeated violations of probation, fleeing and eluding, contempt of court, aggravated battery, criminal mischief, retaliation against a victim or witness, tampering with evidence, resisting arrest and driving with a suspended license.
At one point, Alston's bond was reportedly $450,000 in an effort to keep him behind bars. His attorney was able to get that amount reduced to $175,000— and Alston's parents reportedly pledged their home as collateral for the bond.
In November 1997, when KWTN reported that Alston was walking free in Bahama Village while police officers watched, he was using a mobile home on Ninth Avenue on Stock Island to manufacture crack cocaine. And he was distributing those drugs on the streets of Key West.
He ran that manufacturing and distribution operation until he was arrested in December 1999 as part of Operation Sundown, a drug sweep conducted jointly by the federal Drug Enforcement Administration and the Key West Police Dept.
As part of his plea on Monday, Alston revealed details of his drug manufacturing and distribution operation.
He is scheduled to appear before U.S. District Court Judge James Lawrence King for sentencing on August 27.