Springfield man and woman plead guilty to Boone Co. drug trafficking, prostitution

A Springfield man and woman pleaded guilty in federal court Tuesday to selling crack cocaine and cocaine and promoting prostitution in Boone County.

39-year-old Ryan Wright and 25-year-old Courtnie Goins appeared in federal court last week to plead guilty to the charges in a November 2014 indictment.

Wright admitted he sold crack cocaine and cocaine in Boone Co. from January 2 through August 6, 2014.

Wright pleaded guilty to being a part of a prostitution conspiracy and being a felon in possession of firearms.

Goins pleaded guilty to using a phone to promote prostitution.

Both Wright and Goins admitted to traveling to Columbia in spring 2014. Wright had talked to an associate who he bought cocaine from.

That associate told Wright how to sell drugs and asked Wright to supply him with women for his prostitution business.

Wright supplemented his income with revenue from the prostitutes.

During phone conversations, Wright agreed to bring Goins with him to Columbia for the associate to meet and try to hire as a prostitute.

When Wright and Goins went back to Springfield, they brought back cocaine, made it into crack cocaine, and sold it in Springfield.

Wright and Goins went back to Columbia in July so Wright could pick up more cocaine to sell. Goins agreed to have sexual intercourse with a friend of Wright’s associate for money.

Wright admitted he received about 1/2 a pound of cocaine powder, which he turned into about 112 grams of crack cocaine and distributed.

When Wright was arrested in November, he had multiple guns and ammunition. He had been previously convicted of arson and possession of a controlled substance.

Wright faces a minimum sentence of 5 years in prison without parole, up to 55 years without parole.

Goins faces up to 5 years in prison without parole.