A convicted Las Vegas drug dealer, connected to a 1992 quadruple homicide, has been indicted on new narcotics-related charges.
A federal grand jury on Wednesday indicted 35-year-old Richard Powell on charges of conspiring in the early 1990s to sell about 50 grams of cocaine, then valued at $200,000.
Powell, also known as Richie Rich, was convicted in 1993 of possessing and planning to distribute about three pounds of cocaine. The drugs were found Dec. 6, 1990, after undercover Metro Police hailed a Cadillac and with help from Samantha Scotti, an informant, initiated a sale with Powell. The sale led to the discovery of the drugs in the car and $30,000 in cash.
Scotti and three others were killed in a Wardelle Street apartment either late at night April 30, 1992, or early in the morning, May 1, in retaliation for Scotti's cooperation with police. Police were busy that night attempting to contain rioting following the first verdict in the trial of Los Angeles police officers accused of beating Rodney King.
Authorities were unable to immediately confirm Powell's whereabouts Wednesday, but he is believed to be in prison.
Wednesday's indictment alleged that Powell helped plan the murders that were carried out by gunman Vernell Evans. Evans received the death sentence for those crimes.
The indictment, however, does not charge Powell with conspiring to commit murder. Powell once was arrested in connection with the slayings, but the Clark County district attorney's office dropped the charges after deciding there was not enough evidence to convict.
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