Shropshire Star

Pictured: The criminals who ran drugs ring selling heroin and cocaine to Shrewsbury addicts

These are the faces of seven criminals who ran a county lines conspiracy peddling heroin and cocaine to addicts in Shrewsbury and who will spend years behind bars.

Published
Last updated
The faces of the seven criminals

Members of the sophisticated operation were jailed for more than 36 years in total earlier this month for their roles which resulted in misery for families and reports of anti-social behaviour in communities.

The dealers used six 'pool phones' to send out mass texts to contacts advertising drugs for sale in 2015.

A team of police officers on the trail of the masterminds then set up Operation Insulate – using phone mast data to snare them.

See also:

Detectives uncovered incriminating text messages as well as camera footage of a car registered to Anthony Gray making trips between Liverpool and Shropshire.

The phones were tracked moving to and from Merseyside on several occasions.

Anthony Gray was the mastermind of the Liverpool-based network, with his younger brother Jordan Gray and five others helping to sell crack cocaine and heroin on the streets of Shrewsbury.

Anthony Gray

The conspiracy was run from two houses in Shrewsbury, including the former home of Kelly Carter, in York Road, Harlescott.

Dean Pritchard, also known as 'Denga', was in regular contact with other dealers and addicts in the network. On two occasions West Mercia Police was called to reports of disorder in Shrewsbury and on both occasions Pritchard was present.

Dean Pritchard

Unravelling the network involved police tracking cars with the help of cell siting technology and in total there were more than 200 known journeys between Liverpool and Shrewsbury in the period.

Kelly Carter, 33, now of Hurleybrook Way in Leegomery, Telford, was described as "vulnerable" and was jailed for five years and four months. She is the only defendant actually from this region to sent to prison.

Kelly Carter

Leader Anthony Gray, 38, was jailed for eight years. He coordinated the drugs conspiracy from Merseyside throughout 2015 and when he was put in custody his brother took over from him.

For his part, Jordan Gray, 29, was sentenced to six years and four months.

Jordan Gray

Pritchard, 27, was their enforcer on the ground using threats and aggression to maintain the conspiracy's foothold in the county. He was also jailed for six years and four months.

Zac Dillon, 26, was arrested at Carter's house and photographs were found of him posing with guns and drugs. He was jailed for four years and 10 months.

Zac Dilon

The Grays' uncle Gary Cox, 54, was jailed for two years and 10 months.

Gary Cox

Aged 22, Shaun King was the youngest conspirator. He was involved in November and December of 2015 and was seen in Shrewsbury with Pritchard by undercover police.

Shaun King

He was found guilty of conspiracy following a trial earlier this year. He was jailed for two years and six months.

The conspiracy was brought to an end in December 2015 when the Grays, Pritchard and King were all found in one car and arrested.

Carter, Cox, Dillon, the Gray brothers and Pritchard all pleaded guilty to conspiracy to supply class A drugs soon after.

The two-year sentencing delay was partly caused by a trial involving King and Shrewsbury women Clare Ring and Erin Vesayaporn, who all denied involvement.

They were subsequently found guilty by a jury; King of the conspiracy and the two women of being concerned in the supply of drugs.

Ring, 49, now of Aston Butts in Monkmoor, received a two-year community order and Vesayaporn, 39, of Wayford Close, Dorrington, a 12-month community order and 20 rehabilitation activity days.

Others to be spared jail were Paul Davies, 44, Churncote, Stirchley, Telford; Andrew Quiney, 32, of The Barn, Shawbury; Adrian Harley, 57, of Kenrick Close, Woore; who were jailed for two years, suspended for two years.

A sixth defendant, Lee Dunbar, 41, of Church Lane, Bicton, will be sentenced at a later date.

All were users or addicts who helped the conspiracy by hiring cars and providing transport. Some took part in exchange for drugs and others to pay off debts.

Sorry, we are not accepting comments on this article.