(DES MOINES, Iowa) - A dozen southeast Iowa drug dealers could face decades behind bars and pay millions of dollars in fines.
Back in July, hundreds of local, state and federal law enforcement teams raided several homes and two Ottumwa bars.
Nine were arrested in the city-wide raid and three more were charged in connection with the case later on.
They all face a slew of federal drug charges.
Police believed the men and women were conducting a multi-million dollars drug business, selling cocaine all across southeast Iowa.
According to court documents, all but one defendant in the case is reaching plea agreements, which means they won't go to trial.
Alleged drug kingpin 42-year-old William Edwards of Eldon, has signed a statement with the courts saying he'll plead guilty to a significant federal charge.
According to court documents, he is agreeing to pay up to $8,000,000 in fines and could serve a life sentence.
As of Friday, eight others associated with the cocaine ring have also agreed to plea guilty, many of them face a forty year maximum sentence.
According to documents two additional defendants are working to reach plea agreements by Monday.
One man, Rafael DeLazaro could still go to trial on Tuesday. Court records don't indicate that DeLazaro is close to reaching a plea deal
On Friday papers were filed reporting DeLazaro's attempts to suppress evidence collected during the initial investigation.
After a hearing, the court denied the motion.
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