A federal grand jury in Cleveland returned a one-count indictment charging three Texas men with possession with the intent to distribute approximately 51 kilograms of cocaine, said Steven M. Dettelbach, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Ohio.
Indicted are Guadalupe J. Zarate, age 42, of Penitas, Texas; Jesus Alberto Flores, age 25, of Pharr, Texas; and Noe Romero Salinas, age 32, of Rio Grande, Texas.
The men were in possession of the drugs in the Northern District of Ohio on April 4, 2014, according to the indictment.
If convicted, a defendant’s sentence will be determined by the court after review of factors unique to this case, including the defendant’s prior criminal record, if any; the defendant’s role in the offense; and the characteristics of the violation. In all cases, the sentence will not exceed the statutory maximum, and in most cases it will be less than the maximum.
The investigation preceding the indictment was conducted by the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Akron Police Department, the Summit County Sheriff’s Office, and the Akron-Summit County High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area (HIDTA) initiative. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Samuel A. Yannucci.
An indictment is only a charge and is not evidence of guilt. A defendant is entitled to a fair trial in which it will be the government’s burden to prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.
Showing posts with label cocaine. Show all posts
Showing posts with label cocaine. Show all posts
Wednesday, April 16, 2014
Wednesday, March 26, 2014
Twenty-One Kansas City-Area Men Indicted for Distributing Cocaine, Crack Cocaine
KANSAS CITY, MO—Tammy Dickinson, United States Attorney for the Western District of Missouri, announced today that 21 Kansas City, Missouri area men have been indicted by a federal grand jury, in a series of separate, but related, indictments for distributing cocaine and crack cocaine in Jackson County, Missouri.
Law enforcement officers arrested 12 defendants in an operation today. During the course of the investigation, officers seized more than five kilograms of cocaine, approximately $200,000, and six firearms.
Three indictments were returned under seal by a federal grand jury in Kansas City, Missouri, on Wednesday, March 19, 2014. The federal indictments were unsealed and made public today upon the arrests and initial court appearances of the defendants.
USA v. Piggie, et al.
The federal indictment alleges that all the defendants participated in a conspiracy to distribute five kilograms or more of cocaine and crack cocaine in Jackson County from January 1, 2013 to March 19, 2014.
In addition to the conspiracy, Piggie and Frye-Santoyo are charged together in one count of possessing five kilograms or more of cocaine with the intent to distribute. Other defendants are also charged in various counts related to distributing cocaine and crack cocaine.
Piggie is also charged with one count of possessing a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking crimes and one count of being a felon in possession of a firearm. Frederick Clark is also charged with one count of possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime.
USA v. Bell
Terrell Bell, 29, of Raytown, Missouri, is charged with one count of participating in a conspiracy to distribute cocaine and crack cocaine from September 1 to December 1, 2013. Bell is also charged with two counts of distributing crack cocaine.
USA v. Reed
Monroe E. Reed, 34, of Kansas City, Missouri, is charged with seven counts of distributing crack cocaine and two counts of possessing crack cocaine with the intent to distribute.
Reed is also charged with possessing firearms in furtherance of drug trafficking crimes. Reed allegedly was in possession of an S & W .22-caliber rifle, a Century Arms 7.62-caliber rifle, a Hi-Point .45-caliber rifle, a Bersa .38-caliber pistol, an Armi Tanfoglio .25-caliber pistol, and a Lorcin .380-caliber pistol on October 30, 2012.
Dickinson cautioned that the charges contained in these indictments are simply accusations and not evidence of guilt. Evidence supporting the charges must be presented to a federal trial jury, whose duty is to determine guilt or innocence.
These cases are being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Brent Venneman. They were investigated by the FBI; the Kansas City, Missouri Police Department; and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI).
This news release, as well as additional information about the office of the United States Attorney for the Western District of Missouri, is available online at http://www.justice.gov/usao/mow/index.html.
Law enforcement officers arrested 12 defendants in an operation today. During the course of the investigation, officers seized more than five kilograms of cocaine, approximately $200,000, and six firearms.
Three indictments were returned under seal by a federal grand jury in Kansas City, Missouri, on Wednesday, March 19, 2014. The federal indictments were unsealed and made public today upon the arrests and initial court appearances of the defendants.
USA v. Piggie, et al.
- Frenklyn Piggie, 36, of Kansas City, Missouri
- Olufemi Siffre, 36, of Kansas City, Missouri
- James Caldwell, 36, of Kansas City, Missouri
- Kidada Clayborn, also known as “Goldie,” 36, of Kansas City, Missouri
- Robert Clark, 33, of Kansas City, Missouri
- Frederick D. Clark, 20, of Kansas City, Missouri
- David Ramsey, 52, of Kansas City, Missouri
- Dawawn Orr, 33, of Kansas City, Missouri
- Nathaniel Morris, 43, of Kansas City, Missouri
- Kenneth Harvey, 27, of Kansas City, Missouri
- Ronnie Prewitt, 32, of Kansas City, Missouri
- Ryan Wilson, 34, of Kansas City, Missouri
- Dennis Griffin, 55, of Kansas City, Missouri
- Brian Whitley, 36, of Kansas City, Missouri
- Maurice L. Campbell, 48, of Kansas City, Missouri
- Leon Lee, also known as “JJ,” 33, of Kansas City, Missouri
- Jerome L. Barnes, 33, of Kansas City, Missouri
- DeMichael Johnson, also known as “Shaq,” 35, of Raytown, Missouri
- Jesus Frye-Santoyo, 28, of Kansas City, Kansas
The federal indictment alleges that all the defendants participated in a conspiracy to distribute five kilograms or more of cocaine and crack cocaine in Jackson County from January 1, 2013 to March 19, 2014.
In addition to the conspiracy, Piggie and Frye-Santoyo are charged together in one count of possessing five kilograms or more of cocaine with the intent to distribute. Other defendants are also charged in various counts related to distributing cocaine and crack cocaine.
Piggie is also charged with one count of possessing a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking crimes and one count of being a felon in possession of a firearm. Frederick Clark is also charged with one count of possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime.
USA v. Bell
Terrell Bell, 29, of Raytown, Missouri, is charged with one count of participating in a conspiracy to distribute cocaine and crack cocaine from September 1 to December 1, 2013. Bell is also charged with two counts of distributing crack cocaine.
USA v. Reed
Monroe E. Reed, 34, of Kansas City, Missouri, is charged with seven counts of distributing crack cocaine and two counts of possessing crack cocaine with the intent to distribute.
Reed is also charged with possessing firearms in furtherance of drug trafficking crimes. Reed allegedly was in possession of an S & W .22-caliber rifle, a Century Arms 7.62-caliber rifle, a Hi-Point .45-caliber rifle, a Bersa .38-caliber pistol, an Armi Tanfoglio .25-caliber pistol, and a Lorcin .380-caliber pistol on October 30, 2012.
Dickinson cautioned that the charges contained in these indictments are simply accusations and not evidence of guilt. Evidence supporting the charges must be presented to a federal trial jury, whose duty is to determine guilt or innocence.
These cases are being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Brent Venneman. They were investigated by the FBI; the Kansas City, Missouri Police Department; and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI).
This news release, as well as additional information about the office of the United States Attorney for the Western District of Missouri, is available online at http://www.justice.gov/usao/mow/index.html.
New York City Man Sentenced for Involvement in Cocaine Distribution Conspiracy
The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced today that Senior United States District Court Judge Edwin M. Kosik has sentenced George Abreu, age 32, of New York, New York, to 57 months’ imprisonment for his involvement in a conspiracy to distribute more than 3.5 kilograms of cocaine between 2008 and May 24, 2012.
According to United States Attorney Peter J. Smith, Abreu’s role in the conspiracy included delivering cocaine in New York City to individuals traveling from Luzerne County to obtain cocaine for distribution in the Pittston area. FBI agents arrested Abreu in New York City when he arrived to distribute cocaine to a cooperating witness.
A federal grand jury sitting in Scranton, Pennsylvania, indicted Abreu on the conspiracy charge on March 12, 2013, and on October 21, 2013, Abreu pleaded guilty to the indictment.
In addition to the 57-month term of imprisonment, Judge Kosik also ordered that Abreu be placed on supervised release for a period of three years following the service of his sentence.
The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Pennsylvania State Police, and the Pennsylvania Attorney General’s Office. Assistant United States Attorney John Gurganus prosecuted the case.
According to United States Attorney Peter J. Smith, Abreu’s role in the conspiracy included delivering cocaine in New York City to individuals traveling from Luzerne County to obtain cocaine for distribution in the Pittston area. FBI agents arrested Abreu in New York City when he arrived to distribute cocaine to a cooperating witness.
A federal grand jury sitting in Scranton, Pennsylvania, indicted Abreu on the conspiracy charge on March 12, 2013, and on October 21, 2013, Abreu pleaded guilty to the indictment.
In addition to the 57-month term of imprisonment, Judge Kosik also ordered that Abreu be placed on supervised release for a period of three years following the service of his sentence.
The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Pennsylvania State Police, and the Pennsylvania Attorney General’s Office. Assistant United States Attorney John Gurganus prosecuted the case.
Monday, March 3, 2014
Saratoga County Sheriff’s Deputy Arrested in FBI Sting
ALBANY, NY—Charles E. Fuller, 46, of Corinth, New York, a Saratoga County Deputy Sheriff, was charged today by criminal complaint with attempting to aid and abet the possession with intent to distribute 500 grams or more of cocaine, announced United States Attorney Richard S. Hartunian and Andrew W. Vale, Special Agent in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation, Albany Division. Fuller was arrested earlier today at the Saratoga County Sheriff’s Office and appeared before United States Magistrate Judge Christian F. Hummel at 3:00 p.m. A detention hearing is scheduled before United States Magistrate Judge Randolph F. Treece on March 3, 2014, at 2:00 p.m. If convicted, Fuller faces a maximum of 40 years in prison, a mandatory minimum period of imprisonment of five years, and a maximum fine of $5,000,000.
The complaint alleges that on or about February 27, 2014, members of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, with the assistance of a FBI confidential source, arranged for a controlled delivery by Charles E. Fuller of what was purported to be one kilogram of cocaine. After Fuller transported the confidential source and one kilogram of a substance the confidential source claimed was cocaine from a location in Albany County to a location in Warren County, the FBI confidential source paid Fuller $4,000 in prerecorded currency. Fuller is alleged to have engaged in this conduct while he was off-duty.
U.S. Attorney Hartunian said, “This is a difficult day for law enforcement in Saratoga County and beyond. The conduct by Deputy Sheriff Fuller alleged in the complaint constitutes a betrayal of both the citizens in the community that he is sworn to protect but also the countless honest and dedicated law enforcement officers who put their lives on the line every day to keep us safe. We will continue to work with the FBI and our state and local law enforcement officers to root out this conduct wherever it lies.”
Special Agent in Charge Andrew W. Vale stated, “Corrupt law enforcement officers insult the many honorable officers who serve with integrity. Any law enforcement officer who violates his oath to protect the community and instead takes part in criminal activity should expect the same outcome as a criminal. The public has the right to be assured of the integrity of its public servants, in particular those charged with enforcing the law. Today’s arrest serves as a reminder that no one is above the law and that the FBI is committed to working with the law enforcement community to prevent the erosion of public trust that accompanies such incidents. I would like to extend my appreciation to Saratoga County Sheriff Zurlo for his cooperation throughout this investigation.”
Saratoga County Sheriff Michael H. Zurlo stated, “The allegations against Fuller are an affront to and undermine the integrity of the hardworking men and women of the Saratoga County Sheriff’s Office. We will not tolerate corruption among our ranks. Our promise to the people of Saratoga County is that we will continue to work diligently to ensure that every member of this office deserves the respect and trust of our community.”
A criminal complaint is merely a formal charge that a defendant has committed a violation of federal criminal law, and every defendant is presumed innocent until, and unless, proven guilty.
The complaint alleges that on or about February 27, 2014, members of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, with the assistance of a FBI confidential source, arranged for a controlled delivery by Charles E. Fuller of what was purported to be one kilogram of cocaine. After Fuller transported the confidential source and one kilogram of a substance the confidential source claimed was cocaine from a location in Albany County to a location in Warren County, the FBI confidential source paid Fuller $4,000 in prerecorded currency. Fuller is alleged to have engaged in this conduct while he was off-duty.
U.S. Attorney Hartunian said, “This is a difficult day for law enforcement in Saratoga County and beyond. The conduct by Deputy Sheriff Fuller alleged in the complaint constitutes a betrayal of both the citizens in the community that he is sworn to protect but also the countless honest and dedicated law enforcement officers who put their lives on the line every day to keep us safe. We will continue to work with the FBI and our state and local law enforcement officers to root out this conduct wherever it lies.”
Special Agent in Charge Andrew W. Vale stated, “Corrupt law enforcement officers insult the many honorable officers who serve with integrity. Any law enforcement officer who violates his oath to protect the community and instead takes part in criminal activity should expect the same outcome as a criminal. The public has the right to be assured of the integrity of its public servants, in particular those charged with enforcing the law. Today’s arrest serves as a reminder that no one is above the law and that the FBI is committed to working with the law enforcement community to prevent the erosion of public trust that accompanies such incidents. I would like to extend my appreciation to Saratoga County Sheriff Zurlo for his cooperation throughout this investigation.”
Saratoga County Sheriff Michael H. Zurlo stated, “The allegations against Fuller are an affront to and undermine the integrity of the hardworking men and women of the Saratoga County Sheriff’s Office. We will not tolerate corruption among our ranks. Our promise to the people of Saratoga County is that we will continue to work diligently to ensure that every member of this office deserves the respect and trust of our community.”
A criminal complaint is merely a formal charge that a defendant has committed a violation of federal criminal law, and every defendant is presumed innocent until, and unless, proven guilty.
Wednesday, February 26, 2014
Mexican Drug Supplier Sentenced
COLUMBIA, SC—United States Attorney Bill Nettles stated today that Ismael Juarex Delgado, age 32, of Guerro, Mexico, was sentenced today in federal court in Columbia, South Carolina, for conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute more than five kilograms of cocaine, in violation of Title 21, United States Code, Section 846.
United States District Judge Joseph F. Anderson, Jr. of Columbia sentenced Delgado to 12 years’ imprisonment, followed by 10 years of supervised release. Delgado, an illegal alien, will be deported after serving his active sentence. A $500,000 money judgment was also entered against Delgado.
Delgado was one of over 120 defendants charged in 2009 following a series of court-authorized, FBI-monitored wiretaps over multiple telephones in the Columbia area. The evidence in the case indicated that Delgado, who remained a fugitive on this indictment until his 2013 arrest in Georgia, assisted his brother Israel Juarez Delgado, who was a major supplier of kilogram quantities of cocaine to a number of local drug organizations. Israel Juarez Delgado was previously sentenced to 25 years’ imprisonment.
The case was investigated by agents and officers from the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) Midlands Violent Gang Task Force. Assistant United States Attorney Stacey D. Haynes of the Columbia office prosecuted the case.
United States District Judge Joseph F. Anderson, Jr. of Columbia sentenced Delgado to 12 years’ imprisonment, followed by 10 years of supervised release. Delgado, an illegal alien, will be deported after serving his active sentence. A $500,000 money judgment was also entered against Delgado.
Delgado was one of over 120 defendants charged in 2009 following a series of court-authorized, FBI-monitored wiretaps over multiple telephones in the Columbia area. The evidence in the case indicated that Delgado, who remained a fugitive on this indictment until his 2013 arrest in Georgia, assisted his brother Israel Juarez Delgado, who was a major supplier of kilogram quantities of cocaine to a number of local drug organizations. Israel Juarez Delgado was previously sentenced to 25 years’ imprisonment.
The case was investigated by agents and officers from the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) Midlands Violent Gang Task Force. Assistant United States Attorney Stacey D. Haynes of the Columbia office prosecuted the case.
Columbia Couple Sentenced in Federal Court on Drug Charges
COLUMBIA, SC—United States Attorney Bill Nettles stated today that Ivan B. Moore, a/k/a “AI,” and Shannon Yvette Moore, both of Columbia, South Carolina, were sentenced today in federal court in Columbia, South Carolina. Ivan Moore pled guilty to conspiracy to possess with the intent to distribute five kilograms or more of cocaine and 280 grams or more of cocaine base. Shannon Moore pled guilty to conspiracy to possess with the intent to distribute 500 grams or more of cocaine and 28 grams or more of cocaine base. Chief United States District Judge Terry L. Wooten of Columbia sentenced Ivan Moore to 300 months’ (25 years) incarceration, followed by 10 years of supervised release, and a special assessment of $100. Shannon Moore was sentenced to 120 months’ (10 years) incarceration, followed by four years of supervised release, and a special assessment of $100.
Evidence presented at the change of plea hearing established that Ivan Moore was a large-scale cocaine and crack cocaine dealer in the Columbia area. Moore bought and sold multi-kilograms of cocaine and crack cocaine primarily operating in the Ames Road area of Columbia. His wife, Shannon Moore, helped in his drug business. In addition to selling crack cocaine, Shannon Moore also drove Ivan during some of his drug deals and also traveled to California to make purchases of cocaine to ship back to Columbia to further the conspiracy.
The case was investigated by agents of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Assistant United States Attorney William K. Witherspoon of the Columbia office prosecuted the case.
Evidence presented at the change of plea hearing established that Ivan Moore was a large-scale cocaine and crack cocaine dealer in the Columbia area. Moore bought and sold multi-kilograms of cocaine and crack cocaine primarily operating in the Ames Road area of Columbia. His wife, Shannon Moore, helped in his drug business. In addition to selling crack cocaine, Shannon Moore also drove Ivan during some of his drug deals and also traveled to California to make purchases of cocaine to ship back to Columbia to further the conspiracy.
The case was investigated by agents of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Assistant United States Attorney William K. Witherspoon of the Columbia office prosecuted the case.
Monday, February 10, 2014
Hartford Crack Dealer Sentenced to Eight Years in Federal Prison
Deirdre M. Daly, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, today announced that Justin Powell, also known as “Jus,” 32, of Hartford, was sentenced yesterday by U.S. District Judge Alvin W. Thompson in Hartford to 96 months of imprisonment, followed by five years of supervised release, for distributing crack cocaine.
This matter stems from Operation Vinefield, a joint law enforcement investigation headed by the FBI’s Northern Connecticut Violent Crimes Task Force targeting narcotics trafficking and gang violence in Hartford’s North End. As a result of the nine-month investigation, 38 individuals were charged with various offenses related to the distribution of crack cocaine and the unlawful possession and dealing of firearms in and around Hartford.
According to court documents and statements made in court, one of the main targets of the investigation was Dementrius Nave, a member of the AVE street gang with a lengthy criminal history. Powell, who is not believed to be a member of the AVE, conspired with Nave and others to distribute crack cocaine and other narcotics in Hartford’s Northeast neighborhood. Powell and Nave would pool money to acquire narcotics and would serve customers for each other.
Powell has been detained since his arrest on February 10, 2012. On that date, investigators conducted a traffic stop of a vehicle in which Powell was a passenger after they observed what appeared to be a narcotics exchange. Powell was on state parole at the time and was wearing a monitoring bracelet. A subsequent search of Powell’s residence revealed 63 bags of heroin, which were stamped Super Bowl XLVI, and a scale with white-powder residue that tested positive for the presence of cocaine.
On November 4, 2013, Powell pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute cocaine base (crack cocaine).
Powell’s criminal history includes multiple convictions for sale of narcotics, violation of probation, violation of protective order, and assault.
Nave has pleaded guilty and awaits sentencing.
This matter has been investigated by the FBI’s Northern Connecticut Violent Crimes Task Force, the Connecticut State Police, the Hartford Police Department, and the Connecticut Department of Correction. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Brian P. Leaming.
This matter stems from Operation Vinefield, a joint law enforcement investigation headed by the FBI’s Northern Connecticut Violent Crimes Task Force targeting narcotics trafficking and gang violence in Hartford’s North End. As a result of the nine-month investigation, 38 individuals were charged with various offenses related to the distribution of crack cocaine and the unlawful possession and dealing of firearms in and around Hartford.
According to court documents and statements made in court, one of the main targets of the investigation was Dementrius Nave, a member of the AVE street gang with a lengthy criminal history. Powell, who is not believed to be a member of the AVE, conspired with Nave and others to distribute crack cocaine and other narcotics in Hartford’s Northeast neighborhood. Powell and Nave would pool money to acquire narcotics and would serve customers for each other.
Powell has been detained since his arrest on February 10, 2012. On that date, investigators conducted a traffic stop of a vehicle in which Powell was a passenger after they observed what appeared to be a narcotics exchange. Powell was on state parole at the time and was wearing a monitoring bracelet. A subsequent search of Powell’s residence revealed 63 bags of heroin, which were stamped Super Bowl XLVI, and a scale with white-powder residue that tested positive for the presence of cocaine.
On November 4, 2013, Powell pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute cocaine base (crack cocaine).
Powell’s criminal history includes multiple convictions for sale of narcotics, violation of probation, violation of protective order, and assault.
Nave has pleaded guilty and awaits sentencing.
This matter has been investigated by the FBI’s Northern Connecticut Violent Crimes Task Force, the Connecticut State Police, the Hartford Police Department, and the Connecticut Department of Correction. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Brian P. Leaming.
Friday, January 31, 2014
Five Central Ohio Men Charged with Cocaine Trafficking
COLUMBUS—A cooperative investigation by federal, state, and local law enforcement in Columbus and Franklin County, Ohio, has led to the indictments of five people on federal drug trafficking charges.
Carter M. Stewart, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio; Kathy Enstrom, Special Agent in Charge, Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation (IRS); Kevin Cornelius, Special Agent in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI); Franklin County Sheriff Zach Scott; and Columbus Police Chief Kim Jacobs announced the charges today following the arrest of the final defendant named in a superseding indictment returned January 16.
Named in the indictment are:
The five will be arraigned before U.S. Magistrate Judge Norah McCann King today at 2 p.m.
The superseding indictment also seeks forfeiture of three houses allegedly purchased with proceeds of illegal activities and forfeiture of cash and jewelry representing the proceeds of the crime.
Officers arrested Jordan on January 29. Jackson was arrested on January 21, and all have been ordered held without bond. According to evidence presented at a detention hearing on December 10, more than 20 kilograms of cocaine were seized during execution of a search warrant at Totten’s house. Beavers was released on bond. Judge Michael Watson will set a trial date for the defendants.
U.S. Attorney Stewart commended the cooperative investigation by the IRS, FBI, Columbus Police, and Franklin County Sheriff, as well as the cooperation of the DEA, which provided information vital to the investigation, and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kevin Kelley and David DeVillers, who are prosecuting the case.
Charges contained in an indictment are allegations. All defendants should be presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty in court.
Carter M. Stewart, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio; Kathy Enstrom, Special Agent in Charge, Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation (IRS); Kevin Cornelius, Special Agent in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI); Franklin County Sheriff Zach Scott; and Columbus Police Chief Kim Jacobs announced the charges today following the arrest of the final defendant named in a superseding indictment returned January 16.
Named in the indictment are:
- William Totten, 51, Canal Winchester
- Andre Broom, 47, Columbus
- Christafer L. Jackson, 31, Pickerington
- Donald A. Jordan, 51, Columbus
- Lawrence G. Beavers, 46, Springfield
The five will be arraigned before U.S. Magistrate Judge Norah McCann King today at 2 p.m.
The superseding indictment also seeks forfeiture of three houses allegedly purchased with proceeds of illegal activities and forfeiture of cash and jewelry representing the proceeds of the crime.
Officers arrested Jordan on January 29. Jackson was arrested on January 21, and all have been ordered held without bond. According to evidence presented at a detention hearing on December 10, more than 20 kilograms of cocaine were seized during execution of a search warrant at Totten’s house. Beavers was released on bond. Judge Michael Watson will set a trial date for the defendants.
U.S. Attorney Stewart commended the cooperative investigation by the IRS, FBI, Columbus Police, and Franklin County Sheriff, as well as the cooperation of the DEA, which provided information vital to the investigation, and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kevin Kelley and David DeVillers, who are prosecuting the case.
Charges contained in an indictment are allegations. All defendants should be presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty in court.
Monday, December 16, 2013
Thirteen Men Indicted in Drug Conspiracy Case, Accused of Distributing Heroin and Cocaine in Washington Area
WASHINGTON—Eleven men have been arrested on federal charges stemming from an ongoing investigation into a drug trafficking organization that distributed large amounts of heroin and cocaine in the Washington, D.C. metropolitan area. To date, over 3.5 kilograms of cocaine and over two kilograms of heroin have been seized as a result of the investigation, along with more than $68,000 in cash and at least five firearms. Two men remain at large.
The arrests, on December 12, 2013, followed the return of an indictment by a grand jury in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia. They were announced today by U.S. Attorney Ronald C. Machen, Jr.; Valerie Parlave, Assistant Director in Charge of the FBI’s Washington Field Office; and Cathy L. Lanier, Chief of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD).
The arrests came as authorities executed 26 search warrants on December 12, 2013, in the District of Columbia, Maryland, and Virginia. Several firearms, cocaine and heroin, jewelry worth over $60,000, and thousands in cash were seized during the law enforcement activities. Also recovered from within one residence was evidence of an apparent identity theft operation involving hundreds of credit cards, Social Security cards, and driver’s licenses.
The indictment also includes a forfeiture count against all of those now charged in the investigation, which seeks all proceeds from the crimes. All 11 defendants made their first court appearances this week and are being held without bond pending detention hearings.
“This investigation shows our resolve to target organizations that are bringing cocaine, heroin, and other dangerous drugs into the District of Columbia,” said U.S. Attorney Machen. “Law enforcement was able to remove guns, drugs, and dangerous people from the streets and take another step toward making our community safer.”
“These arrests are a result of the concentrated efforts by special agents and detectives from the FBI Washington, Baltimore, and Los Angeles Field Offices and MPD and Prince George’s County, Maryland Police Department who partner together to disrupt and dismantle drug networks that threaten our neighborhoods,” said Assistant Director in Charge Parlave. “Together, we are focused on stopping the movement and sale of drugs on our streets and we will bring those who profit from it to justice.”
“This investigation spanned the region including Washington, D.C.; Prince George’s County, Maryland; Baltimore; and Stafford, Virginia,” said Police Chief Lanier. “This is a great example of us working with our federal partners to arrest those who supply our neighborhoods with illicit drugs.”
The charges arose from a year-long investigation by the FBI into people suspected of acting as wholesale distributors of heroin and cocaine in the Washington, D.C. metropolitan area. The investigation determined that from at least January 2013 through November 2013, the defendants maintained a drug trafficking organization that supplied distribution amounts of heroin and cocaine to drug dealers in the District of Columbia, Maryland, and Virginia. During the course of the investigation, agents seized three separate packages found to contain large quantities of both heroin and cocaine, which had been shipped or were destined to arrive in the Washington, D.C. area from sources located in California.
Those arrested include Lester Pryor, 62, of Washington, D.C., who is alleged to have supplied cocaine and heroin to the other defendants named in the indictment. The others include Patrick Avent, 45, of Stafford, Virginia; George Ball, 65, of Washington, D.C.; Brandon Beale, 58, of Washington, D.C.; Aubrey Bennett, 61, of Washington, D.C.; James Burkley, 59, of Washington, D.C; Anthony McDuffie, 50, of Washington, D.C.; Chris Merriweather, 47, of Washington, D.C.; Earl Owens, 56, of Bowie, Maryland; Tyrone Payton, 55, of Temple Hills, Maryland; and Kevin Whitman, 54, of Washington, D.C.
The prosecution grew out of the efforts of the federal Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force, a multi-agency team that conducts comprehensive, multi-level attacks on major drug trafficking and money laundering organizations. The principal mission of the nationwide program is to identify, disrupt, and dismantle the most serious drug trafficking and money laundering organizations and those primarily responsible for the nation’s drug supply.
An indictment is merely a formal charge that a defendant has committed a violation of criminal law and is not evidence of guilt. Every defendant is presumed innocent until, and unless, proven guilty.
In announcing the charges, U.S. Attorney Machen, Assistant Director in Charge Parlave and Chief Lanier commended the work of the agents at the FBI, Internal Revenue Service- Criminal Investigation, and the U.S. Postal Inspection Service who investigated the case. They also thanked the U.S. Attorney’s Offices for the District of Maryland, the Eastern District of Virginia, and the Central District of California; the FBI’s Baltimore and Los Angeles Divisions; MPD and the Prince George’s County Police and Sheriff’s Departments, which provided assistance. Finally they, cited the efforts of those who worked on the case from the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia, including Assistant U.S. Attorneys Steven B. Wasserman, Anthony Scarpelli, Jin Park, and former Assistant U.S. Attorney Patricia A. Stewart.
The arrests, on December 12, 2013, followed the return of an indictment by a grand jury in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia. They were announced today by U.S. Attorney Ronald C. Machen, Jr.; Valerie Parlave, Assistant Director in Charge of the FBI’s Washington Field Office; and Cathy L. Lanier, Chief of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD).
The arrests came as authorities executed 26 search warrants on December 12, 2013, in the District of Columbia, Maryland, and Virginia. Several firearms, cocaine and heroin, jewelry worth over $60,000, and thousands in cash were seized during the law enforcement activities. Also recovered from within one residence was evidence of an apparent identity theft operation involving hundreds of credit cards, Social Security cards, and driver’s licenses.
The indictment also includes a forfeiture count against all of those now charged in the investigation, which seeks all proceeds from the crimes. All 11 defendants made their first court appearances this week and are being held without bond pending detention hearings.
“This investigation shows our resolve to target organizations that are bringing cocaine, heroin, and other dangerous drugs into the District of Columbia,” said U.S. Attorney Machen. “Law enforcement was able to remove guns, drugs, and dangerous people from the streets and take another step toward making our community safer.”
“These arrests are a result of the concentrated efforts by special agents and detectives from the FBI Washington, Baltimore, and Los Angeles Field Offices and MPD and Prince George’s County, Maryland Police Department who partner together to disrupt and dismantle drug networks that threaten our neighborhoods,” said Assistant Director in Charge Parlave. “Together, we are focused on stopping the movement and sale of drugs on our streets and we will bring those who profit from it to justice.”
“This investigation spanned the region including Washington, D.C.; Prince George’s County, Maryland; Baltimore; and Stafford, Virginia,” said Police Chief Lanier. “This is a great example of us working with our federal partners to arrest those who supply our neighborhoods with illicit drugs.”
The charges arose from a year-long investigation by the FBI into people suspected of acting as wholesale distributors of heroin and cocaine in the Washington, D.C. metropolitan area. The investigation determined that from at least January 2013 through November 2013, the defendants maintained a drug trafficking organization that supplied distribution amounts of heroin and cocaine to drug dealers in the District of Columbia, Maryland, and Virginia. During the course of the investigation, agents seized three separate packages found to contain large quantities of both heroin and cocaine, which had been shipped or were destined to arrive in the Washington, D.C. area from sources located in California.
Those arrested include Lester Pryor, 62, of Washington, D.C., who is alleged to have supplied cocaine and heroin to the other defendants named in the indictment. The others include Patrick Avent, 45, of Stafford, Virginia; George Ball, 65, of Washington, D.C.; Brandon Beale, 58, of Washington, D.C.; Aubrey Bennett, 61, of Washington, D.C.; James Burkley, 59, of Washington, D.C; Anthony McDuffie, 50, of Washington, D.C.; Chris Merriweather, 47, of Washington, D.C.; Earl Owens, 56, of Bowie, Maryland; Tyrone Payton, 55, of Temple Hills, Maryland; and Kevin Whitman, 54, of Washington, D.C.
The prosecution grew out of the efforts of the federal Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force, a multi-agency team that conducts comprehensive, multi-level attacks on major drug trafficking and money laundering organizations. The principal mission of the nationwide program is to identify, disrupt, and dismantle the most serious drug trafficking and money laundering organizations and those primarily responsible for the nation’s drug supply.
An indictment is merely a formal charge that a defendant has committed a violation of criminal law and is not evidence of guilt. Every defendant is presumed innocent until, and unless, proven guilty.
In announcing the charges, U.S. Attorney Machen, Assistant Director in Charge Parlave and Chief Lanier commended the work of the agents at the FBI, Internal Revenue Service- Criminal Investigation, and the U.S. Postal Inspection Service who investigated the case. They also thanked the U.S. Attorney’s Offices for the District of Maryland, the Eastern District of Virginia, and the Central District of California; the FBI’s Baltimore and Los Angeles Divisions; MPD and the Prince George’s County Police and Sheriff’s Departments, which provided assistance. Finally they, cited the efforts of those who worked on the case from the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia, including Assistant U.S. Attorneys Steven B. Wasserman, Anthony Scarpelli, Jin Park, and former Assistant U.S. Attorney Patricia A. Stewart.
Operation Stateline Sweep Defendant Sentenced to 96 Months in Prison for Drug Trafficking
TEXARKANA, AR—Conner Eldridge, United States Attorney for the Western District of Arkansas, announced that Terreal Duke was sentenced today as a result of charges brought during Operation Stateline Sweep, a drug trafficking investigation that took place in 2011. Duke, age 32, of Texarkana, Arkansas, was sentenced to four years in prison without the possibility of parole on each of the two counts of using a communication facility in furtherance of the distribution of cocaine; the sentences will run consecutive for a total of eight years in prison. He was also sentenced to two years of supervised release. The Honorable Susan O. Hickey presided over the case in the United States District Court in Texarkana, Arkansas.
U.S. Attorney Eldridge commented, “There can be no doubt that Texarkana and surrounding communities are a safer place as a result of the dedicated service and hard work of all agencies involved since the beginning of this operation. These criminal enterprises bring crime into our communities and drugs onto our streets, and we remain committed to working together to dismantle them in order to keep the residents of Southwest Arkansas and the Western District of Arkansas safe from this illegal activity and the threat of violence.”
On November 2, 2010, a confidential informant contacted Duke by phone to make arrangements to purchase cocaine. Later at the predetermined location, Duke conducted the sale of 54.1008 grams of crack cocaine to the confidential informant for $1,200 and was then immediately arrested by law enforcement. Upon arrest, Duke attempted to swallow a baggie later found to contain 13.5839 grams of cocaine. Duke was part of a 190-count indictment filed in September 2011, which named 66 defendants that have been prosecuted since that time and given a combined prison sentence of over 377 years.
This case was investigated by the Bi-State Narcotics Task Force, which is composed of representatives of the Texarkana Arkansas Police Department, the Texarkana Texas Police Department, the Miller County Sheriff’s Office, and the FBI. Assistant United States Attorney Matthew Quinn prosecuted the case for the United States.
U.S. Attorney Eldridge commented, “There can be no doubt that Texarkana and surrounding communities are a safer place as a result of the dedicated service and hard work of all agencies involved since the beginning of this operation. These criminal enterprises bring crime into our communities and drugs onto our streets, and we remain committed to working together to dismantle them in order to keep the residents of Southwest Arkansas and the Western District of Arkansas safe from this illegal activity and the threat of violence.”
On November 2, 2010, a confidential informant contacted Duke by phone to make arrangements to purchase cocaine. Later at the predetermined location, Duke conducted the sale of 54.1008 grams of crack cocaine to the confidential informant for $1,200 and was then immediately arrested by law enforcement. Upon arrest, Duke attempted to swallow a baggie later found to contain 13.5839 grams of cocaine. Duke was part of a 190-count indictment filed in September 2011, which named 66 defendants that have been prosecuted since that time and given a combined prison sentence of over 377 years.
This case was investigated by the Bi-State Narcotics Task Force, which is composed of representatives of the Texarkana Arkansas Police Department, the Texarkana Texas Police Department, the Miller County Sheriff’s Office, and the FBI. Assistant United States Attorney Matthew Quinn prosecuted the case for the United States.
Thursday, November 21, 2013
Twenty-Six People Charged in Drug Conspiracy, Accused of Distributing Heroin, Cocaine, and Marijuana
WASHINGTON—Seventeen people were arrested today following their indictments on federal charges in connection with an ongoing investigation by the FBI/Metropolitan Police Department Safe Streets Task Force into a network that trafficked heroin, cocaine, and marijuana from Texas to the Washington, D.C. area. The drugs were then distributed in the Washington, D.C. area.
In addition to the arrests today, in the Washington, D.C. area, two defendants already were in custody. Seven others were apprehended in McAllen, Texas, on November 18, 2013.
The arrests and charges were announced by U.S. Attorney Ronald C. Machen, Jr.; Valerie Parlave, Assistant Director in Charge of the FBI’s Washington Field Office; and Cathy L. Lanier, Chief of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD).
The defendants are among those named in two indictments returned on November 7, 2013, in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia. The indictments, partially unsealed, charge the defendants with conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute heroin, cocaine, and marijuana. Some of the defendants also are charged with conspiracy to launder monetary instruments. Both indictments also include a forfeiture allegation seeking all proceeds derived from the crimes, as well as assets used to commit the offenses. If convicted, the defendants face a minimum of 10 years in prison and a maximum of life in prison.
The FBI’s Washington Field Office and MPD were joined in the law enforcement action this week by the FBI San Antonio Field Office’s McAllen Resident Agency; the U.S. Park Police; the U.S. Marshals Service; the U.S. Bureau of Prisons; the Prince George’s County, Maryland Police Department; the Hidalgo County, Texas Sheriff’s Office; and the San Juan, Texas Police Department.
A total of 17 locations and four vehicles were searched today in the District of Columbia and Maryland. Authorities seized 18 guns, heroin, PCP, and cash.
The indictments allege that the defendants conspired to carry out the drug operation from October 2012 through October of this year, when it was broken up by law enforcement. The network allegedly operated in the District of Columbia, Maryland, and Texas.
“These indictments were designed to dismantle a drug ring that trafficked heroin and cocaine from Texas into the District of Columbia,” said U.S. Attorney Machen. “We all owe a debt of gratitude to the more than 200 agents and officers whose courage today resulted in 17 arrests and the seizure of more than a dozen firearms and heroin and PCP. The District of Columbia is a safer place today with these guns and drugs off the street.”
“The arrests that were carried out this week in the Washington, D.C. region and in Texas once again show that we will not tolerate drug dealers who attempt to root their network within our communities and afflict our neighborhoods with their illegal trade,” said Assistant Director in Charge Parlave. “Along with our partners on the Safe Streets Task Force, the FBI is focused on pursuing those who pose a threat to our communities through the sale of illegal drugs.”
“These are significant arrests, and the volume of drugs and weapons seized highlight the potentially devastating impact this criminal enterprise had on the D.C. metropolitan area and various communities across the country,” said Chief Lanier. “The Metropolitan Police Department along with our local and federal law enforcement partners continue to work together to make our communities safer by locating and disrupting criminal organizations intent on wreaking havoc on our neighborhoods for their own personal gain. We are sending a message to criminals nationwide that we will find you and arrest you.”
A total of 12 men and five women were arrested in the area today.
Those arrested in the Washington, D.C. area include several members of one family: Juan Floyd, 45, of Temple Hills, Maryland, an alleged leader of the enterprise; his brother, John Floyd, 51, of Washington, D.C.; and his daughter, Juanita N. Culbreth, 27, of Oxon Hill, Maryland.
Others arrested today include: Lisa Adona, 50, of Fort Washington, Maryland; Rodney Kirk Carter, 50, of Washington, D.C.; Derek L. Gadsden, 54, of Washington, D.C.; Donald Johnson, 51, of Washington, D.C.; Mike Johnson, 30, of Deale, Maryland; Albert P. Jones, 44, of Temple Hills, Maryland; Vincent J. Jones, 45, of Washington, D.C.; Roxanne Matthews-Baker, 47, of Washington, D.C.; Maurice P. Mercer, 38, of Washington, D.C.; Lawrence E. Proctor, 54, of Washington, D.C.; Darnell S. Rogers, 50, of Fort Washington, Maryland; Bruce Settles, 48, of Washington, D.C.; Delshawn A. Wrice, 53, of Washington, D.C., and Jeri Wright, 60, of Suitland, Maryland.
Jeffrey Coachman, 39, and Gary Price, 47, already were in custody.
An indictment is merely a formal charge that a defendant has committed a violation of criminal law and is not evidence of guilt. Every defendant is presumed innocent until, and unless, proven guilty.
This prosecution grew out of a long-term FBI/MPD alliance called the Safe Streets Task Force that targets violent drug trafficking gangs in the District of Columbia. The Safe Streets Initiative is funded in part by the Baltimore Washington High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area, as well as the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force. The initiative involves more than 150 Safe Streets Task Forces across the country that combat street gangs by combining federal, state and local police resources. The task forces, which began in 1992 in Los Angeles and the District of Columbia, address gang activity, including drug-related crimes.
U.S. Attorney Machen, Assistant Director in Charge Parlave, and Chief Lanier thanked those who pursued the investigation from the FBI/MPD Safe Streets Task Force and other agencies. They also expressed appreciation to the Prince George’s County Police Department, the U.S. Park Police, the U.S. Marshals Service, and the Maryland State Police, as well as the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Maryland and the McAllen Division of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Texas, for their assistance in the investigation.
Finally, they acknowledged the efforts of those who worked on the investigation from the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia, including Paralegal Specialists Catherine O’Neal, Jeannette Litz, Reagan Gibson, Rommel Pachoca, Teesha Tobias, Kim Hall, Niya Attucks, and Mary Downing and Legal Assistants Priscilla Hutson and Jessica Moffatt.
They also commended the work of Assistant U.S. Attorneys Karla-Dee Clark and Thomas A. Gillice, who are prosecuting the case; Assistant U.S. Attorney Zia Faruqui of the Asset Forfeiture and Money Laundering Section, who is assisting with the forfeiture action; and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Debra Long-Doyle and Suzanne Clement Libby, who assisted with the investigation and prosecution.
In addition to the arrests today, in the Washington, D.C. area, two defendants already were in custody. Seven others were apprehended in McAllen, Texas, on November 18, 2013.
The arrests and charges were announced by U.S. Attorney Ronald C. Machen, Jr.; Valerie Parlave, Assistant Director in Charge of the FBI’s Washington Field Office; and Cathy L. Lanier, Chief of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD).
The defendants are among those named in two indictments returned on November 7, 2013, in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia. The indictments, partially unsealed, charge the defendants with conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute heroin, cocaine, and marijuana. Some of the defendants also are charged with conspiracy to launder monetary instruments. Both indictments also include a forfeiture allegation seeking all proceeds derived from the crimes, as well as assets used to commit the offenses. If convicted, the defendants face a minimum of 10 years in prison and a maximum of life in prison.
The FBI’s Washington Field Office and MPD were joined in the law enforcement action this week by the FBI San Antonio Field Office’s McAllen Resident Agency; the U.S. Park Police; the U.S. Marshals Service; the U.S. Bureau of Prisons; the Prince George’s County, Maryland Police Department; the Hidalgo County, Texas Sheriff’s Office; and the San Juan, Texas Police Department.
A total of 17 locations and four vehicles were searched today in the District of Columbia and Maryland. Authorities seized 18 guns, heroin, PCP, and cash.
The indictments allege that the defendants conspired to carry out the drug operation from October 2012 through October of this year, when it was broken up by law enforcement. The network allegedly operated in the District of Columbia, Maryland, and Texas.
“These indictments were designed to dismantle a drug ring that trafficked heroin and cocaine from Texas into the District of Columbia,” said U.S. Attorney Machen. “We all owe a debt of gratitude to the more than 200 agents and officers whose courage today resulted in 17 arrests and the seizure of more than a dozen firearms and heroin and PCP. The District of Columbia is a safer place today with these guns and drugs off the street.”
“The arrests that were carried out this week in the Washington, D.C. region and in Texas once again show that we will not tolerate drug dealers who attempt to root their network within our communities and afflict our neighborhoods with their illegal trade,” said Assistant Director in Charge Parlave. “Along with our partners on the Safe Streets Task Force, the FBI is focused on pursuing those who pose a threat to our communities through the sale of illegal drugs.”
“These are significant arrests, and the volume of drugs and weapons seized highlight the potentially devastating impact this criminal enterprise had on the D.C. metropolitan area and various communities across the country,” said Chief Lanier. “The Metropolitan Police Department along with our local and federal law enforcement partners continue to work together to make our communities safer by locating and disrupting criminal organizations intent on wreaking havoc on our neighborhoods for their own personal gain. We are sending a message to criminals nationwide that we will find you and arrest you.”
A total of 12 men and five women were arrested in the area today.
Those arrested in the Washington, D.C. area include several members of one family: Juan Floyd, 45, of Temple Hills, Maryland, an alleged leader of the enterprise; his brother, John Floyd, 51, of Washington, D.C.; and his daughter, Juanita N. Culbreth, 27, of Oxon Hill, Maryland.
Others arrested today include: Lisa Adona, 50, of Fort Washington, Maryland; Rodney Kirk Carter, 50, of Washington, D.C.; Derek L. Gadsden, 54, of Washington, D.C.; Donald Johnson, 51, of Washington, D.C.; Mike Johnson, 30, of Deale, Maryland; Albert P. Jones, 44, of Temple Hills, Maryland; Vincent J. Jones, 45, of Washington, D.C.; Roxanne Matthews-Baker, 47, of Washington, D.C.; Maurice P. Mercer, 38, of Washington, D.C.; Lawrence E. Proctor, 54, of Washington, D.C.; Darnell S. Rogers, 50, of Fort Washington, Maryland; Bruce Settles, 48, of Washington, D.C.; Delshawn A. Wrice, 53, of Washington, D.C., and Jeri Wright, 60, of Suitland, Maryland.
Jeffrey Coachman, 39, and Gary Price, 47, already were in custody.
An indictment is merely a formal charge that a defendant has committed a violation of criminal law and is not evidence of guilt. Every defendant is presumed innocent until, and unless, proven guilty.
This prosecution grew out of a long-term FBI/MPD alliance called the Safe Streets Task Force that targets violent drug trafficking gangs in the District of Columbia. The Safe Streets Initiative is funded in part by the Baltimore Washington High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area, as well as the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force. The initiative involves more than 150 Safe Streets Task Forces across the country that combat street gangs by combining federal, state and local police resources. The task forces, which began in 1992 in Los Angeles and the District of Columbia, address gang activity, including drug-related crimes.
U.S. Attorney Machen, Assistant Director in Charge Parlave, and Chief Lanier thanked those who pursued the investigation from the FBI/MPD Safe Streets Task Force and other agencies. They also expressed appreciation to the Prince George’s County Police Department, the U.S. Park Police, the U.S. Marshals Service, and the Maryland State Police, as well as the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Maryland and the McAllen Division of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Texas, for their assistance in the investigation.
Finally, they acknowledged the efforts of those who worked on the investigation from the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia, including Paralegal Specialists Catherine O’Neal, Jeannette Litz, Reagan Gibson, Rommel Pachoca, Teesha Tobias, Kim Hall, Niya Attucks, and Mary Downing and Legal Assistants Priscilla Hutson and Jessica Moffatt.
They also commended the work of Assistant U.S. Attorneys Karla-Dee Clark and Thomas A. Gillice, who are prosecuting the case; Assistant U.S. Attorney Zia Faruqui of the Asset Forfeiture and Money Laundering Section, who is assisting with the forfeiture action; and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Debra Long-Doyle and Suzanne Clement Libby, who assisted with the investigation and prosecution.
Congressman Trey Radel Pleads Guilty to Misdemeanor Drug Charge
WASHINGTON—Congressman Trey Radel, 37, pled guilty today in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia to a misdemeanor charge of possession of cocaine, announced U.S. Attorney Ronald C. Machen, Jr.; Valerie Parlave, Assistant Director in Charge of the FBI’s Washington Field Office; and Karl C. Colder, Special Agent in Charge of the Washington Division Office of the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA).
Radel, who represents the 19th Congressional District of Florida, appeared before the Honorable Senior Judge Robert S. Tignor. As a first-time offender, Radel was able to ask the court, under District of Columbia law, to defer entering a judgment of guilty and place him on probation. Judge Tignor placed Radel on one year of probation. If the probation is successfully completed, the court could then dismiss the case without an adjudication of guilt.
According to a statement of offense submitted as part of the plea, Radel came to the attention of the FBI and DEA in the fall of 2013, during an investigation into cocaine trafficking in the Washington, D.C. metropolitan area. Agents learned that Radel would purchase cocaine for his personal use and sometimes share it with others.
The statement of offense says that, on October 29, 2013, Radel met with an undercover police officer at a restaurant in the Dupont Circle area of Washington, D.C. At this time, Radel agreed to buy about 3.5 grams of cocaine from the undercover officer. He and the undercover officer went outside, and Radel handed over $260. The undercover officer provided Radel with a package of cocaine. Federal agents then approached Radel and the cocaine was recovered.
Radel agreed to speak with the agents about what had taken place and invited them to his apartment. There, he voluntarily admitted that he had purchased the cocaine. He also retrieved and provided to the agents a vial of cocaine that he had in his apartment.
“Today’s guilty plea emerges from a broader narcotics investigation that brought to light information that a sitting Member of Congress was routinely using and buying cocaine. Once this information was confirmed, law enforcement could not ignore this illegal conduct,” said U.S. Attorney Machen. “Mr. Radel’s guilty plea is similar to those entered every year by hundreds of other drug offenders in the District of Columbia who possess illegal narcotics. We appreciate his willingness to promptly accept responsibility for his conduct.”
“Today’s announcement demonstrates that illegal drugs continue to be present in our communities and do not discriminate by age, gender, socio-economic group, or profession,” said Assistant Director in Charge Parlave. “Along with our law enforcement partners at the DEA, the FBI remains focused on stopping the movement and sale of drugs on our neighborhood streets.”
“Drug traffickers and abusers respect no boundaries or limits and our neighborhoods and communities often pay the price,” said Special Agent in Charge Colder. “DEA and our law enforcement partners will continue to relentlessly pursue these drug trafficking networks and their criminal associates at every level. They pose a direct threat to the safety and security of our community here in the D.C. metro area. We want young people to see the price people pay for drug abuse and trafficking in cases like this so they will resolve to live drug-free lives.”
In announcing the plea, U.S. Attorney Machen, Assistant Director in Charge Parlave, and Special Agent in Charge Colder commended the work of those who investigated the case. They also expressed appreciation for the work of the Fairfax County, Virginia Police Department and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Finally, they commended those who handled the case from the U.S. Attorney’s Office, including Assistant U.S. Attorney Nihar R. Mohanty, who is prosecuting the matter.
Radel, who represents the 19th Congressional District of Florida, appeared before the Honorable Senior Judge Robert S. Tignor. As a first-time offender, Radel was able to ask the court, under District of Columbia law, to defer entering a judgment of guilty and place him on probation. Judge Tignor placed Radel on one year of probation. If the probation is successfully completed, the court could then dismiss the case without an adjudication of guilt.
According to a statement of offense submitted as part of the plea, Radel came to the attention of the FBI and DEA in the fall of 2013, during an investigation into cocaine trafficking in the Washington, D.C. metropolitan area. Agents learned that Radel would purchase cocaine for his personal use and sometimes share it with others.
The statement of offense says that, on October 29, 2013, Radel met with an undercover police officer at a restaurant in the Dupont Circle area of Washington, D.C. At this time, Radel agreed to buy about 3.5 grams of cocaine from the undercover officer. He and the undercover officer went outside, and Radel handed over $260. The undercover officer provided Radel with a package of cocaine. Federal agents then approached Radel and the cocaine was recovered.
Radel agreed to speak with the agents about what had taken place and invited them to his apartment. There, he voluntarily admitted that he had purchased the cocaine. He also retrieved and provided to the agents a vial of cocaine that he had in his apartment.
“Today’s guilty plea emerges from a broader narcotics investigation that brought to light information that a sitting Member of Congress was routinely using and buying cocaine. Once this information was confirmed, law enforcement could not ignore this illegal conduct,” said U.S. Attorney Machen. “Mr. Radel’s guilty plea is similar to those entered every year by hundreds of other drug offenders in the District of Columbia who possess illegal narcotics. We appreciate his willingness to promptly accept responsibility for his conduct.”
“Today’s announcement demonstrates that illegal drugs continue to be present in our communities and do not discriminate by age, gender, socio-economic group, or profession,” said Assistant Director in Charge Parlave. “Along with our law enforcement partners at the DEA, the FBI remains focused on stopping the movement and sale of drugs on our neighborhood streets.”
“Drug traffickers and abusers respect no boundaries or limits and our neighborhoods and communities often pay the price,” said Special Agent in Charge Colder. “DEA and our law enforcement partners will continue to relentlessly pursue these drug trafficking networks and their criminal associates at every level. They pose a direct threat to the safety and security of our community here in the D.C. metro area. We want young people to see the price people pay for drug abuse and trafficking in cases like this so they will resolve to live drug-free lives.”
In announcing the plea, U.S. Attorney Machen, Assistant Director in Charge Parlave, and Special Agent in Charge Colder commended the work of those who investigated the case. They also expressed appreciation for the work of the Fairfax County, Virginia Police Department and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Finally, they commended those who handled the case from the U.S. Attorney’s Office, including Assistant U.S. Attorney Nihar R. Mohanty, who is prosecuting the matter.
Thursday, October 3, 2013
Fourteen Charged with Heroin and Cocaine Trafficking in the Bronx and Across the Hudson Valley
Preet Bharara, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, George Venizelos, Assistant Director-In-Charge of the New York Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (“FBI”), Brian R. Crowell, the Special Agent-in-Charge of the New York Division of the Drug Enforcement Administration (“DEA”), and Joseph A. D'Amico, the Superintendent of the New York State Police, announced the arrest of 14 defendants and the unsealing of an Indictment today charging conspiracies to distribute kilogram quantities of heroin and cocaine in Beacon, the Bronx, the City of Middletown, the City of Newburgh, and New Windsor, New York.
U.S. Attorney Preet Bharara stated: “Drug traffickers long ago discovered opportunities to peddle their venom way beyond city limits, and fortunately the law enforcement community is there to intercept them. Today’s arrests exemplify our unrelenting efforts to remove drug dealers from our streets and make them safe for law-abiding citizens, city and country.”
FBI Assistant Director-in-Charge George Venizelos stated: “Heroin and cocaine are a scourge on society, often victimizing our cities' most vulnerable. Today’s arrest and subsequent charges bring us one step closer to cleaning up our streets.”
DEA Special Agent in Charge Brian R. Crowell stated: “Drug abuse claims more young people’s lives annually today than suicides, firearm deaths or school violence and unintentional drug overdose is the leading cause of injury death in 17 states, even more than automobile accidents. This case is a fine example of state, local and federal law enforcement to keep our neighborhoods safe from drug traffickers. I commend our law enforcement partners and our men and women who worked shoulder to shoulder on this investigation to make the streets safer for the residents and youth in the Newburgh area.”
NY State Police Superintendent Joseph A. D'Amico stated: “A significant amount of drugs will not make it into our communities as a result of the dedication and due diligence of investigators and prosecutors working collaboratively to wipe out these types of drug operations. It is through this cooperative effort among our partners in law enforcement that we will continue to target, and remove from our streets those who choose to engage in this type of illegal and dangerous activity.”
The Indictment charges 14 people, ESMERALDO HERNANDEZ, a/k/a “Esmo,” 32, ABNER ALVAREZ, JR., 30, ABNER ALVAREZ, SR., 47, JAMES L. CANELLI III, 36, EMILIO CASTILLO, a/k/a “E,” 28, ANTHONY CESPEDES, a/k/a “Anth,” 27, MICHAEL FIGUEROA, a/k/a “Scooby,” 36, BRADLEY FRIEDLANDER, 30, DARRELL LOPEZ, a/k/a “D,” 32, CARLOS MARTINEZ, 30, RAUL OQUENDO, 32, NYGEL RIVERA, 22, RAMON URIBE, a/k/a “Polo,” 38, and BERNARDO VALENTIN, a/k/a “Chickie,” 42, with conspiring to distribute, and possess with intent to distribute kilogram quantities of cocaine and/or heroin. The charges against each defendant and the corresponding maximum potential penalties are outlined in the chart attached to this press release.
Thirteen of the defendants charged in the Indictment unsealed today were arrested today or have previously been taken into custody. One, Darrell Lopez, remains at large as a fugitive. The defendants in custody are to be presented in White Plains federal court this afternoon before U.S. Magistrate Judge George A. Yanthis.
Mr. Bharara praised the outstanding investigative work of the FBI, the DEA, the New York State Police, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (“ICE”) Homeland Security Investigations (“HSI”), the United States Postal Inspection Service, the Beacon Police Department, the City of Middletown Police Department, the City of Newburgh Police Department, the Town of Newburgh Police Department, and the Orange County Sheriff’s Office. . The prosecution is being handled by the Office’s White Plains Division. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Michael Gerber and Ilan Graff are in charge of the prosecution.
The charges contained in the Indictment are merely accusations, and the defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
U.S. Attorney Preet Bharara stated: “Drug traffickers long ago discovered opportunities to peddle their venom way beyond city limits, and fortunately the law enforcement community is there to intercept them. Today’s arrests exemplify our unrelenting efforts to remove drug dealers from our streets and make them safe for law-abiding citizens, city and country.”
FBI Assistant Director-in-Charge George Venizelos stated: “Heroin and cocaine are a scourge on society, often victimizing our cities' most vulnerable. Today’s arrest and subsequent charges bring us one step closer to cleaning up our streets.”
DEA Special Agent in Charge Brian R. Crowell stated: “Drug abuse claims more young people’s lives annually today than suicides, firearm deaths or school violence and unintentional drug overdose is the leading cause of injury death in 17 states, even more than automobile accidents. This case is a fine example of state, local and federal law enforcement to keep our neighborhoods safe from drug traffickers. I commend our law enforcement partners and our men and women who worked shoulder to shoulder on this investigation to make the streets safer for the residents and youth in the Newburgh area.”
NY State Police Superintendent Joseph A. D'Amico stated: “A significant amount of drugs will not make it into our communities as a result of the dedication and due diligence of investigators and prosecutors working collaboratively to wipe out these types of drug operations. It is through this cooperative effort among our partners in law enforcement that we will continue to target, and remove from our streets those who choose to engage in this type of illegal and dangerous activity.”
The Indictment charges 14 people, ESMERALDO HERNANDEZ, a/k/a “Esmo,” 32, ABNER ALVAREZ, JR., 30, ABNER ALVAREZ, SR., 47, JAMES L. CANELLI III, 36, EMILIO CASTILLO, a/k/a “E,” 28, ANTHONY CESPEDES, a/k/a “Anth,” 27, MICHAEL FIGUEROA, a/k/a “Scooby,” 36, BRADLEY FRIEDLANDER, 30, DARRELL LOPEZ, a/k/a “D,” 32, CARLOS MARTINEZ, 30, RAUL OQUENDO, 32, NYGEL RIVERA, 22, RAMON URIBE, a/k/a “Polo,” 38, and BERNARDO VALENTIN, a/k/a “Chickie,” 42, with conspiring to distribute, and possess with intent to distribute kilogram quantities of cocaine and/or heroin. The charges against each defendant and the corresponding maximum potential penalties are outlined in the chart attached to this press release.
Thirteen of the defendants charged in the Indictment unsealed today were arrested today or have previously been taken into custody. One, Darrell Lopez, remains at large as a fugitive. The defendants in custody are to be presented in White Plains federal court this afternoon before U.S. Magistrate Judge George A. Yanthis.
Mr. Bharara praised the outstanding investigative work of the FBI, the DEA, the New York State Police, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (“ICE”) Homeland Security Investigations (“HSI”), the United States Postal Inspection Service, the Beacon Police Department, the City of Middletown Police Department, the City of Newburgh Police Department, the Town of Newburgh Police Department, and the Orange County Sheriff’s Office. . The prosecution is being handled by the Office’s White Plains Division. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Michael Gerber and Ilan Graff are in charge of the prosecution.
The charges contained in the Indictment are merely accusations, and the defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
| UNT | CHARGE | DEFENDANTS | MAXIMUM PENALTIES |
| 1 | Narcotics conspiracy (Conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute five kilograms and more of cocaine.) | ESMERALDO HERNANDEZ, a/k/a “Esmo,” ABNER ALVAREZ, JR., MICHAEL FIGUEROA, a/k/a “Scooby,” BRADLEY FRIEDLANDER, CARLOS MARTINEZ, RAUL OQUENDO, NYGEL RIVERA, RAMON URIBE, a/k/a “Polo,” BERNARDO VALENTIN, a/k/a “Chickie" | Life in prison Mandatory minimum: 10 years in prison |
| 2 | Narcotics conspiracy (Conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute one kilogram and more of heroin.) | ESMERALDO HERNANDEZ, a/k/a “Esmo,” JAMES L. CANELLI III, EMILIO CASTILLO, a/k/a “E,” ANTHONY CESPEDES, a/k/a “Anth,” MICHAEL FIGUEROA, a/k/a “Scooby,” DARRELL LOPEZ, a/k/a “D,” a RAMON URIBE, a/k/a “Polo" | Life in prison Mandatory minimum: 10 years in prison |
| 3 | Narcotics conspiracy (Conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute five kilograms and more of cocaine.) | ABNER ALVAREZ, SR. ABNER ALVAREZ, JR. | Life in prison Mandatory minimum: 10 years in prison |
Thursday, September 19, 2013
Federal Jury Convicts Anthony Man on Cocaine Trafficking Charge
ALBUQUERQUE—A federal jury sitting in Las Cruces returned a guilty verdict this morning against Alejandro Lopez, 40, of Anthony, New Mexico, on a cocaine trafficking charge after a three-day trial. The guilty verdict was announced by Acting U.S. Attorney Steven C. Yarbrough, Special Agent in Charge Carol K.O. Lee of the Albuquerque Division of the FBI, and Lt. Bobby Holden of the Las Cruces/Doña Ana County Metro Narcotics Agency.
Alejandro Lopez and his brother Eddy Lopez, 37, were arrested on November 15, 2012, on a criminal complaint charging them with trafficking in cocaine. On March 29, 2013, Eddy Lopez entered a guilty plea to a felony information charging him with possession of cocaine with intent to distribute. Alejandro Lopez was indicted on that same charge on June 19, 2013.
Trial against Alejandro Lopez commenced on September 16, 2013, and concluded this morning when the jury returned a verdict of guilty on the sole count of the indictment.
The evidence at trial established that in late September 2012, a confidential informant (CI) working under the supervision of the FBI and the Las Cruces/Doña Ana County Metro Narcotics Agency had several telephone conversations with Eddy Lopez during which the CI negotiated to facilitate the purchase of a kilogram of cocaine for $22,000 from Eddy Lopez on behalf of a buyer.
On September 27, 2012, by prior arrangement, the CI met Eddy Lopez in a park in Anthony to complete the cocaine deal. Law enforcement officers conducted surveillance while Alejandro Lopez drove up in his truck, with Eddy Lopez as a passenger, and parked next to the CI’s vehicle. They observed Eddy Lopez take a package, which contained 794 grams of cocaine, from Alejandro Lopez’s truck and place it in the back seat of the CI’s vehicle. Eddy Lopez then told the CI that Alejandro Lopez would follow the CI as he delivered the cocaine to the buyer so that Alejandro Lopez could collect the $22,000 payment for the cocaine. After Alejandro Lopez dropped Eddy Lopez off at a nearby residence, he followed the CI’s vehicle until officers executed a traffic stop and arrested Alejandro Lopez on local charges. Shortly thereafter, other officers arrested Eddy Lopez also on local charges.
During the booking process, Alejandro Lopez made a post-arrest statement, during which he admitted picking up the cocaine from a location near his brother’s residence and then picking up his brother before driving to the park where they met the CI. He also admitted that, after Eddy Lopez transferred the cocaine from his truck to the CI’s vehicle, he followed the CI for the purpose of collecting the proceeds from the drug deal. Alejandro Lopez acknowledged that he expected to be paid $100 for his participation in the drug deal.
Alejandro Lopez was remanded into federal custody after the jury returned its guilty verdict and he will remain detained pending his sentencing hearing, which has yet to be scheduled. At sentencing, Alejandro Lopez faces a prison sentence of not less than five years and not more than 40 years, followed by at least four years of supervised release. Because Alejandro Lopez is a resident alien, he will be deported to Mexico after he completes his prison sentence.
Eddy Lopez faces a similar prison sentence when he is sentenced. His sentencing hearing also has not yet been scheduled.
This case was investigated by the Las Cruces Office of the FBI and the Las Cruces/Doña Ana County Metro Narcotics Agency. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Maria Y. Armijo and Edwin Garreth Winstead, III of the U.S. Attorney’s Las Cruces Branch Office.
Alejandro Lopez and his brother Eddy Lopez, 37, were arrested on November 15, 2012, on a criminal complaint charging them with trafficking in cocaine. On March 29, 2013, Eddy Lopez entered a guilty plea to a felony information charging him with possession of cocaine with intent to distribute. Alejandro Lopez was indicted on that same charge on June 19, 2013.
Trial against Alejandro Lopez commenced on September 16, 2013, and concluded this morning when the jury returned a verdict of guilty on the sole count of the indictment.
The evidence at trial established that in late September 2012, a confidential informant (CI) working under the supervision of the FBI and the Las Cruces/Doña Ana County Metro Narcotics Agency had several telephone conversations with Eddy Lopez during which the CI negotiated to facilitate the purchase of a kilogram of cocaine for $22,000 from Eddy Lopez on behalf of a buyer.
On September 27, 2012, by prior arrangement, the CI met Eddy Lopez in a park in Anthony to complete the cocaine deal. Law enforcement officers conducted surveillance while Alejandro Lopez drove up in his truck, with Eddy Lopez as a passenger, and parked next to the CI’s vehicle. They observed Eddy Lopez take a package, which contained 794 grams of cocaine, from Alejandro Lopez’s truck and place it in the back seat of the CI’s vehicle. Eddy Lopez then told the CI that Alejandro Lopez would follow the CI as he delivered the cocaine to the buyer so that Alejandro Lopez could collect the $22,000 payment for the cocaine. After Alejandro Lopez dropped Eddy Lopez off at a nearby residence, he followed the CI’s vehicle until officers executed a traffic stop and arrested Alejandro Lopez on local charges. Shortly thereafter, other officers arrested Eddy Lopez also on local charges.
During the booking process, Alejandro Lopez made a post-arrest statement, during which he admitted picking up the cocaine from a location near his brother’s residence and then picking up his brother before driving to the park where they met the CI. He also admitted that, after Eddy Lopez transferred the cocaine from his truck to the CI’s vehicle, he followed the CI for the purpose of collecting the proceeds from the drug deal. Alejandro Lopez acknowledged that he expected to be paid $100 for his participation in the drug deal.
Alejandro Lopez was remanded into federal custody after the jury returned its guilty verdict and he will remain detained pending his sentencing hearing, which has yet to be scheduled. At sentencing, Alejandro Lopez faces a prison sentence of not less than five years and not more than 40 years, followed by at least four years of supervised release. Because Alejandro Lopez is a resident alien, he will be deported to Mexico after he completes his prison sentence.
Eddy Lopez faces a similar prison sentence when he is sentenced. His sentencing hearing also has not yet been scheduled.
This case was investigated by the Las Cruces Office of the FBI and the Las Cruces/Doña Ana County Metro Narcotics Agency. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Maria Y. Armijo and Edwin Garreth Winstead, III of the U.S. Attorney’s Las Cruces Branch Office.
Wednesday, September 11, 2013
Leader of Nationwide Cocaine Trafficking Organization Pleads Guilty
NORFOLK, VA—Luis Alberto Navarro, 32, of Tucson, Arizona, pleaded guilty today to conspiring to distribute cocaine.
Neil H. MacBride, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia; Karl C. Colder, Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration’s Washington Field Division; and Royce E. Curtin, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Norfolk Office, made the announcement after the plea was accepted by United States District Judge Arenda L. Wright Allen. Navarro was indicted on June 5, 2013, by a federal grand jury on charges of conspiring to distribute cocaine, as well as distribution and possession of cocaine. Navarro faces a maximum penalty of life imprisonment when he is sentenced on December 13, 2013.
In a statement of facts filed with the plea agreement, Navarro admitted to his involvement in a large-scale cocaine distribution ring from 2006 to the present. While Navarro operated the Tucson, Arizona hub of the organization, the group had a nationwide network of distribution points, including locations in Indiana, California, New York, Pennsylvania, and in Tidewater. Navarro recruited, supervised, and managed couriers and other members to transport and distribute cocaine and proceeds from the distribution of cocaine throughout the United States. Along with his co-conspirators, Navarro would hide the cocaine both inside the lining of coolers and inert, hollowed-out fire extinguishers in order to avoid detection during transportation.
This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Federal Bureau of Investigation and is part of an Organized Crime and Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) investigation dubbed Fire & Ice.
Assistant United States Attorneys V. Kathleen Dougherty and Kevin M. Comstock are prosecuting the case on behalf of the United States. A copy of this press release may be found on the website of the United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia at http://www.justice.gov/usao/vae.
Neil H. MacBride, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia; Karl C. Colder, Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration’s Washington Field Division; and Royce E. Curtin, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Norfolk Office, made the announcement after the plea was accepted by United States District Judge Arenda L. Wright Allen. Navarro was indicted on June 5, 2013, by a federal grand jury on charges of conspiring to distribute cocaine, as well as distribution and possession of cocaine. Navarro faces a maximum penalty of life imprisonment when he is sentenced on December 13, 2013.
In a statement of facts filed with the plea agreement, Navarro admitted to his involvement in a large-scale cocaine distribution ring from 2006 to the present. While Navarro operated the Tucson, Arizona hub of the organization, the group had a nationwide network of distribution points, including locations in Indiana, California, New York, Pennsylvania, and in Tidewater. Navarro recruited, supervised, and managed couriers and other members to transport and distribute cocaine and proceeds from the distribution of cocaine throughout the United States. Along with his co-conspirators, Navarro would hide the cocaine both inside the lining of coolers and inert, hollowed-out fire extinguishers in order to avoid detection during transportation.
This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Federal Bureau of Investigation and is part of an Organized Crime and Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) investigation dubbed Fire & Ice.
Assistant United States Attorneys V. Kathleen Dougherty and Kevin M. Comstock are prosecuting the case on behalf of the United States. A copy of this press release may be found on the website of the United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia at http://www.justice.gov/usao/vae.
Tuesday, September 10, 2013
Norfolk Man Sentenced to Serve 188 Months in Prison on Cocaine Charge
NORFOLK, VA—Keith Jermaine Everett, 34, of Norfolk, Virginia, was sentenced today to 188 months in prison, followed by five years of supervised release, for conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute cocaine.
Neil H. MacBride, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, and Royce E. Curtin, Special Agent in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation Norfolk Office, made the announcement after sentencing by United States District Judge Mark S. Davis.
Everett waived indictment and pleaded guilty to a criminal information on May 29, 2013. The criminal information charged him with conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute 500 grams or more cocaine. According to court documents, Everett distributed cocaine and marijuana on a regular basis in Norfolk and surrounding cities. On December 18, 2012, a controlled purchase of cocaine was conducted by law enforcement from Everett at a location on North Military Highway in Norfolk.
This case was investigated by the Norfolk Field Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Norfolk Police Department. Assistant United States Attorney Sherrie S. Capotosto prosecuted the case on behalf of the United States.
A copy of this press release may be found on the website of the United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia at http://www.justice.gov/usao/vae.
Neil H. MacBride, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, and Royce E. Curtin, Special Agent in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation Norfolk Office, made the announcement after sentencing by United States District Judge Mark S. Davis.
Everett waived indictment and pleaded guilty to a criminal information on May 29, 2013. The criminal information charged him with conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute 500 grams or more cocaine. According to court documents, Everett distributed cocaine and marijuana on a regular basis in Norfolk and surrounding cities. On December 18, 2012, a controlled purchase of cocaine was conducted by law enforcement from Everett at a location on North Military Highway in Norfolk.
This case was investigated by the Norfolk Field Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Norfolk Police Department. Assistant United States Attorney Sherrie S. Capotosto prosecuted the case on behalf of the United States.
A copy of this press release may be found on the website of the United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia at http://www.justice.gov/usao/vae.
Thursday, December 27, 2012
Fifteen Members of Alleged Drug Ring Arrested
NEWARK, NJ—Two members of an alleged drug trafficking
ring based in Elizabeth, New Jersey and operating throughout the
Northeast and Puerto Rico made their initial court appearances today,
U.S. Attorney Paul J. Fishman announced.
Nelson Yordan, a/k/a Carlos, 27, of Waterbury, Connecticut, and Michael Rosario, 28, of Hagerstown, Maryland, were both charged by complaint with conspiracy to distribute controlled substances. They made their initial appearances today before U.S. Magistrate Judge Mark Falk in Newark federal court.
Yordan and Rosario are among 15 people arrested over the past three weeks by FBI agents and local police in connection with a drug trafficking organization responsible for distributing cocaine and heroin in the Elizabeth, New Jersey; Allentown, Pennsylvania; Hartford, Connecticut; and Hagersville, Maryland areas.
Also charged by complaint in connection with the alleged drug operation are: Roberto Rentas Negron, a/k/a El Duro; Kelmit Velazquez; Antonio Vazquez, a/k/a Panta; Fernando Duarte Castro; Julio Martinez Jr., 43, of Elizabeth; Lorenzo Carballo, 28, of Elizabeth; Hector Espinoza, a/k/a Will, 27, of Elizabeth; William Crespo, a/k/a Negro, 33, of Allentown, Pennsylvania; Melvin Gerena, a/k/a Flaco, 29, of Elizabeth; Marco Rodriguez, 26, of Elizabeth; Jerel Evans, a/k/a Gigante, 25, of Elizabeth; Robert Evans, a/k/a Gigante’s Brother; and Christian Reyes, a/k/a Enano. Each defendant is charged with one count of conspiring to distribute controlled substances.
According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:
Three of the defendants—Negron, Velazquez, and Vazquez—were arrested November 30, 2012, after FBI agents learned that Negron and Velazquez were plotting to murder a rival drug dealer who had reportedly stolen one kilogram of heroin from the organization. They made their initial court appearances before Judge Falk on December 3, 2012 and were ordered detained pending trial. After their arrests, many of their co-conspirators reportedly took measures to evade law enforcement, including changing cell phones and fleeing to other states.
As part of a coordinated operation, federal, and local law enforcement authorities subsequently located and arrested: Duarte Castro on December 3, 2012 in Newark; Carballo and Espinoza on December 13, 2012 in Elizabeth; Crespo in Allentown; Yordan in Hartford; and Rosario in Hagersville; on December 14, 2012. After fleeing to Puerto Rico, Rodriguez turned himself in to the FBI in San Juan on December 19, 2012.
Martinez and Gerena were previously arrested by the Elizabeth Police Department on unrelated charges and remain in state custody pending their transfer to face the federal charge. The other three defendants remain at large.
Between November 2011 and November 30, 2012, law enforcement was involved in an investigation into a drug trafficking organization (DTO) operating in the Elizabeth and Newark areas. The organization had people in Puerto Rico and elsewhere coordinating shipments of cocaine and heroin through the U.S. mails to New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, and Connecticut. The narcotics would be concealed in items such as candles and children’s toys. Individuals in New Jersey would coordinate these shipments, process or “cut” the narcotics, and distribute the narcotics to locations in New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Connecticut, Maryland, and other locations.
Law enforcement in New Jersey identified Rentas Negron as the person who coordinated the acquisition of the drugs, the processing and packaging of the cocaine and heroin, the resale of the narcotics, and the distribution of the proceeds from drug sales. Vazquez frequently supplied narcotics to Rentas Negron. Reyes coordinated shipments of narcotics from Puerto Rico. The other members of the DTO cut, processed, packaged, stored, and distributed the narcotics and occasionally traveled to Florida, Pennsylvania, Connecticut, Maryland, and other states in order to obtain cocaine to distribute in the Elizabeth area.
The counts with which Yordan, Rosario, Negron, Velazquez, Martinez, Carballo, Espinoza, Crespo, Jerel Evans, Robert Evans, Gerena, and Rodriguez are charged carry a minimum potential penalty of five years in prison and a maximum of 40 years in prison and a $5 million fine. The counts with which Vazquez and Reyes are charged carry a minimum potential penalty of 10 years in prison and a maximum of life in prison and a $10 million fine. The count with which Duarte Castro is charged carries a maximum potential penalty of 20 years in prison and a $1 million fine.
U.S. Attorney Fishman credited special agents of the FBI, under the direction of Special Agent in charge Michael B. Ward; U.S. Postal Inspectors, under the direction of Phillip R. Bartlett; law enforcement officers from the New Jersey National Guard Counter Drug Task Force, under the direction of the Adjutant General, Brig. Gen. Michael L. Cunniff; the Union County Prosecutor’s Office, under the direction of Prosecutor Theodore J. Romanko; and the Elizabeth Police Department, under the direction of Police Director James Cosgrove, with the investigation leading to the charges.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Adam N. Subervi and David Eskew of the U.S. Attorney’s Office Criminal Division in Newark.
The charges and allegations contained in the complaints are merely accusations and the defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Nelson Yordan, a/k/a Carlos, 27, of Waterbury, Connecticut, and Michael Rosario, 28, of Hagerstown, Maryland, were both charged by complaint with conspiracy to distribute controlled substances. They made their initial appearances today before U.S. Magistrate Judge Mark Falk in Newark federal court.
Yordan and Rosario are among 15 people arrested over the past three weeks by FBI agents and local police in connection with a drug trafficking organization responsible for distributing cocaine and heroin in the Elizabeth, New Jersey; Allentown, Pennsylvania; Hartford, Connecticut; and Hagersville, Maryland areas.
Also charged by complaint in connection with the alleged drug operation are: Roberto Rentas Negron, a/k/a El Duro; Kelmit Velazquez; Antonio Vazquez, a/k/a Panta; Fernando Duarte Castro; Julio Martinez Jr., 43, of Elizabeth; Lorenzo Carballo, 28, of Elizabeth; Hector Espinoza, a/k/a Will, 27, of Elizabeth; William Crespo, a/k/a Negro, 33, of Allentown, Pennsylvania; Melvin Gerena, a/k/a Flaco, 29, of Elizabeth; Marco Rodriguez, 26, of Elizabeth; Jerel Evans, a/k/a Gigante, 25, of Elizabeth; Robert Evans, a/k/a Gigante’s Brother; and Christian Reyes, a/k/a Enano. Each defendant is charged with one count of conspiring to distribute controlled substances.
According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:
Three of the defendants—Negron, Velazquez, and Vazquez—were arrested November 30, 2012, after FBI agents learned that Negron and Velazquez were plotting to murder a rival drug dealer who had reportedly stolen one kilogram of heroin from the organization. They made their initial court appearances before Judge Falk on December 3, 2012 and were ordered detained pending trial. After their arrests, many of their co-conspirators reportedly took measures to evade law enforcement, including changing cell phones and fleeing to other states.
As part of a coordinated operation, federal, and local law enforcement authorities subsequently located and arrested: Duarte Castro on December 3, 2012 in Newark; Carballo and Espinoza on December 13, 2012 in Elizabeth; Crespo in Allentown; Yordan in Hartford; and Rosario in Hagersville; on December 14, 2012. After fleeing to Puerto Rico, Rodriguez turned himself in to the FBI in San Juan on December 19, 2012.
Martinez and Gerena were previously arrested by the Elizabeth Police Department on unrelated charges and remain in state custody pending their transfer to face the federal charge. The other three defendants remain at large.
Between November 2011 and November 30, 2012, law enforcement was involved in an investigation into a drug trafficking organization (DTO) operating in the Elizabeth and Newark areas. The organization had people in Puerto Rico and elsewhere coordinating shipments of cocaine and heroin through the U.S. mails to New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, and Connecticut. The narcotics would be concealed in items such as candles and children’s toys. Individuals in New Jersey would coordinate these shipments, process or “cut” the narcotics, and distribute the narcotics to locations in New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Connecticut, Maryland, and other locations.
Law enforcement in New Jersey identified Rentas Negron as the person who coordinated the acquisition of the drugs, the processing and packaging of the cocaine and heroin, the resale of the narcotics, and the distribution of the proceeds from drug sales. Vazquez frequently supplied narcotics to Rentas Negron. Reyes coordinated shipments of narcotics from Puerto Rico. The other members of the DTO cut, processed, packaged, stored, and distributed the narcotics and occasionally traveled to Florida, Pennsylvania, Connecticut, Maryland, and other states in order to obtain cocaine to distribute in the Elizabeth area.
The counts with which Yordan, Rosario, Negron, Velazquez, Martinez, Carballo, Espinoza, Crespo, Jerel Evans, Robert Evans, Gerena, and Rodriguez are charged carry a minimum potential penalty of five years in prison and a maximum of 40 years in prison and a $5 million fine. The counts with which Vazquez and Reyes are charged carry a minimum potential penalty of 10 years in prison and a maximum of life in prison and a $10 million fine. The count with which Duarte Castro is charged carries a maximum potential penalty of 20 years in prison and a $1 million fine.
U.S. Attorney Fishman credited special agents of the FBI, under the direction of Special Agent in charge Michael B. Ward; U.S. Postal Inspectors, under the direction of Phillip R. Bartlett; law enforcement officers from the New Jersey National Guard Counter Drug Task Force, under the direction of the Adjutant General, Brig. Gen. Michael L. Cunniff; the Union County Prosecutor’s Office, under the direction of Prosecutor Theodore J. Romanko; and the Elizabeth Police Department, under the direction of Police Director James Cosgrove, with the investigation leading to the charges.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Adam N. Subervi and David Eskew of the U.S. Attorney’s Office Criminal Division in Newark.
The charges and allegations contained in the complaints are merely accusations and the defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
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