Three men from Ohio have been extradited to Michigan and charged in the murder of a Pontiac marijuana business owner, authorities announced yesterday. The Oakland County Sheriff’s Office said 24-year-old William Gregory Creasy, 28-year-old Scott Aloysius Brown, and 32-year-old Deonte Damonte Prophett, were arraigned on charges of felony murder and armed robbery, as reported by Audacy.
According to a statement from Oakland County Sheriff Michael Bouchard, acquired by The Detroit News, "The senseless tragic murder of a businessman by these cold and calculating perpetrators must be answered with swift justice.” The victim, 66-year-old Sam Simko, was the owner of a marijuana grow operation on University Drive in Pontiac. Simko's business partner reportedly discovered his body the same night, with two gunshot wounds, although no additional details regarding the suspects' next court dates were released.
Investigators believe that it was Prophett who fired the fatal shots that killed Simko on the night of January 13. He also faces charges of using a firearm in the commission of a felony and possession of a firearm by a prohibited person. Creasy and Brown were apprehended in Cincinnati the day after the shooting, and Prophett was arrested one day later. All are being held without bond at the Oakland County Jail, as per details provided by Audacy.
Surveillance footage from the business showed Creasy arriving and entering the building while Brown and Prophett waited in a black Ford Expedition parked across the street. Upon Creasy's exit, Brown and Prophett, the latter brandishing a pistol, entered the business where Prophett allegedly fired the shots that took Simko’s life, as mentioned by CBS Detroit. Simko was found dead at about 8:15 p.m. inside his establishment, after what's believed to have been a fake business deal turned robbery, with about 50 pounds of marijuana stolen. The suspects, according to the sheriff's office, were extradited to Michigan from Cincinnati on Tuesday.
The suspects are due back in court on February 11 for a probable cause conference, where they will face the consequences of their alleged actions. Meanwhile, investigators, in collaboration with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives and the Cincinnati Police Department, continue to build their case against the trio detained without bond. The tragedy has sparked a conversation about the vulnerability of marijuana businesses to such violent criminal undertakings and may prompt a review of security measures for similar operations.
