Page 33 - TPA Journal July-August 2025
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told him his shipment might be coming in that day Orlando called Donovan, and they discussed
but advised Donovan not to “hit him or nothing” Gowdy’s arrest in Kemper County. Orlando stat-
because “he got his funny ways sometimes.” Later ed, “Somebody talking,” and Donovan responded,
that day, Donovan and Orlando spoke again, con- “Sure is.” They then discussed the difficulties they
firming that neither of them had heard from had experienced in obtaining methamphetamine
“him,” referring to Ford. Orlando stated that Ford from Arizona in recent months.
“didn’t want [Orlando and Donovan] knowing A subsequent wiretap obtained recordings of calls
each other was [sic] going down there” because he between Donovan and a new supplier, Marice
had his “funny ways.” Donovan responded that he Boler, in July 2020. During his testimony, Boler
“was going to send [his] change when [Orlando identified Donovan as the person to whom he had
was] ready,” so Orlando would “take off and be on distributed methamphetamine on July 6, 2020.
call.” Orlando said he “was going to send [his] by Boler explained that a relative had asked him to
[Donovan] because [Orlando] was at work.” deliver methamphetamine to Donovan. After lis-
Donovan answered, “Yeah, but, uhm, either way tening to a call recorded right before Donovan and
though. You call me, I—we can do that. That’s Boler met that day, Boler testified that they were
straight.” Orlando agreed, “It doesn’t bother me, meeting up to “[s]ell meth,” and Boler would sell
one way or the other.” a pound of methamphetamine to Donovan. The
That night, Orlando and Donovan spoke once jury then heard a call between the two men that
again. They confirmed that neither had yet heard took place on July 6 in which Donovan asked if
from Ford, observed that they had each requested Boler got his text, and Boler responded, “You talk-
the same amount of methamphetamine from Ford, ing about the same thing, right?” Donovan then
and agreed that “we’ve made enough money to sit said he had “enough for a half now. . . . If you
back and wait on another” supplier other than don’t wanna break it down, just give me a lil’
Ford. Unbeknownst to the cousins, agents arrest- minute.” Boler answered, “I’ll break it down . . .
ed Rondarius Gowdy on May 28 following a traf- Meet me in a minute.” Boler testified that “the
fic stop when they found that he was transporting same thing” meant “meth,” and “a half” meant a
drugs. Gowdy testified at Donovan and Orlando’s “half pound” of “meth.” In the next call, Boler told
trial that he had the drugs because someone Donovan he “could probably have [Donovan] a
offered him money if he “accept[ed] some mari- half” and it would probably be “Thursday or
juana through the mail, and all [Gowdy] had to do something,” to which Donovan responded,
[was] just drop it off” at the home of Cordaryl “[B]ring that half for me.” Boler testified that
Ford. The court also received into evidence Donovan was trying to obtain half a pound of
Gowdy’s plea agreement, and a prosecutor read meth. During Boler’s testimony, the jury also
aloud the factual basis of that plea agreement. heard a call between him and Donovan from July
Gowdy confirmed that the plea agreement accu- 11 when Donovan asked Boler to “bring [him] an
rately described the following events. Donovan eight” and said he would “give [Boler] a dollar”
and Orlando ordered methamphetamine from for it. Boler testified that “an eight” referred to a
Ford “[o]n or about May the 28th,” and the same “[h]alf pound of meth,” and “a dollar” meant a
day, officers arrested Gowdy after a traffic stop. hundred dollars. In a conversation just over an
At that traffic stop, the officers discovered “a hour later, Boler told Donovan that he was not in
package containing seven individually wrapped town and did not have anybody available to meet
packages,” five of which “contained suspected him, and Donovan responded, “I still got them
methamphetamine,” while two “contained sus- [two] you sold me. I was just trying to stack up,
pected marijuana.” On the morning of May 29, bro.” Boler then responded that he would “have it
Orlando texted Donovan, “They got Ford. Don’t for [Donovan]” when he returned to town.
call that phone.” About fifteen minutes later, Donovan answered, “I don’t be moving sh*t, bro.
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