Month: April 2022

Source: United States Department of Justice News

PHOENIX, Ariz. – Jesus Osvaldo Aguilar Rosas, 20, of Phoenix, Arizona, was charged by criminal complaint with four counts of possession of controlled substances for distribution. Aguilar was arrested on April 5 and had his initial appearance in federal court today.

The complaint alleges four violations of United States law related to Aguilar’s possession and intended distribution of fentanyl, methamphetamine, cocaine, and heroin. It further alleges that, on April 5, 2022, Aguilar was observed participating in a suspected drug transaction in Phoenix, Arizona. United States Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) agents and Task Force Officers later determined that a bag Aguilar had been carrying contained methamphetamine and blue pills that are suspected to contain fentanyl. Aguilar was also in possession of a handgun. A subsequent search of Aguilar’s apartment led to the seizure of approximately 150,000 blue pills of suspected fentanyl, over 20 kilograms of methamphetamine, over three kilograms of cocaine, over one kilogram of powdered fentanyl, approximately one kilogram of heroin, a second firearm, and over $30,000 in cash.

A criminal complaint is merely an allegation of criminal conduct, not evidence. An individual is presumed innocent until evidence is presented to a jury that establishes guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.

The Drug Enforcement Administration is conducting the investigation in this case. The United States Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, Phoenix, is handling the prosecution.

CASE NUMBER:            22-3103MB
RELEASE NUMBER:    2022-037_Aguilar

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For more information on the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/az/
Follow the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, on Twitter @USAO_AZ for the latest news.

 

Source: United States Department of Justice News

POCATELLO – An Idaho Falls man was sentenced to 80 months in federal prison for unlawful possession of firearm.

According to court records, on July 15, 2020, officers with the Idaho Falls Police Department were conducting a follow up investigation on an unrelated theft case when they encountered Joshua Nathan Kelly, 39, at a residence near downtown Idaho Falls. Kelly fled the area when law enforcement attempted to contact him. He left behind a backpack that contained two stolen firearms and 20 grams of methamphetamine. Kelly was apprehended by law enforcement later the same day. Kelly has previously been convicted of a felony and was prohibited from possessing firearms.

Chief U.S. District Judge David C. Nye, who sentenced Kelly, took into account that the firearms Kelly possessed were stolen and that Kelly also possessed methamphetamine in connection with possession of the firearms. Judge Nye also ordered Kelly to serve three years of supervised release upon completion of his more than six and a half years in prison.

U.S. Attorney Rafael M. Gonzalez, Jr., of the District of Idaho made the announcement and commended the cooperative efforts of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Idaho Falls Police Department, which led to charges.

This case was handled by the U.S. Attorney Office’s specially deputized Special Assistant U.S. Attorney (SAUSA), funded by the Eastern Idaho Partnership (EIP) and the State of Idaho. The EIP is a coalition of local city and county officials in eastern Idaho as well as the Idaho Department of Correction.

The EIP SAUSA program allows law enforcement to utilize the federal criminal justice system – through the EIP SAUSA – to prosecute, convict, and sentence violent, armed criminals and drug traffickers. These criminals often receive stiffer penalties than they might in state courts.

This program was created in January 2016. Since that time, approximately 185 defendants have been indicted by the EIP SAUSA. Of these defendants, 21 have been indicted for unlawful possession of a firearm. The defendants indicted under the program have been sentenced to 8,062 months (approximately 672 years) in federal prison, representing an average prison sentence of 53.4 months (4.45 years). Defendants indicted for unlawfully possessing a firearm serve, on average, approximately 40.5 months (3.4 years) in federal prison.

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Source: United States Department of Justice News

Meridian, Miss. – A Meridian man was sentenced to 270 months in federal prison for possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine, announced U.S. Attorney Darren LaMarca and Special Agent in Charge Jermicha Fomby with the Federal Bureau of Investigation.   

According to court documents, on December 20, 2019, FBI agents intercepted communications of Carnell Denman, 43, and a co-defendant discussing the purchase of methamphetamine. As planned, surveillance observed Denman arrive at the buy location and ultimately leave the location after a short visit.  Denman subsequently was involved in a traffic stop revealing his possession of 325.20 grams of methamphetamine hydrochloride, a semi-automatic pistol and four loaded pistol magazines. 

Denman pled guilty on December 22, 2021, to possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine.

The case is the result of an extensive investigation, dubbed “Hailstorm,” which began as an operation targeting illegal drug trafficking in the Jackson area. “Hailstorm” is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten the United States by using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks.

The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Mississippi Bureau of Narcotics, and the Mississippi Highway Patrol. 

The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Keesha Middleton.

Source: United States Department of Justice News

Gulfport, Miss. – Two Mexican nationals were sentenced for unlawful transportation of an alien within the United States (aiding and abetting), announced U.S. Attorney Darren J. LaMarca, Chief Patrol Agent Jason E. Schneider of the U.S. Border Patrol’s New Orleans Sector, and Special Agent in Charge David L. Denton of Homeland Security Investigations in New Orleans. 

Ricardo Ortega-Garcia, 43, of Mexico, was sentenced to 17 months in federal prison followed by three years of supervised release. Rigoberto Montoya-Landaverde, 27, also of Mexico, was sentenced to “time served” (effectively 8 months and 23 days) followed by 3 years of supervised release.  Both men pleaded guilty on December 17, 2021.  Upon completion of their prison sentences, both men are subject to Homeland Security proceedings to remove them from the United States.  If either man were to return unlawfully to the U.S., within his period of supervised release, he would be subject to additional prosecution and penalties both for violating supervised release as well as for unlawful return-after-removal.

According to court documents, the two men were arrested on July 15, 2021, on Interstate 10 (eastbound) in Harrison County.  Following a U.S. Border Patrol investigation, a Border Patrol Agent conducted a vehicle stop and identified the driver as Rigoberto Montoya-Landaverd. He did not have a valid driver’s license, but was a Legal Permanent Resident of the U.S. who had been living in Texas.  Ortega-Garcia, the registered owner of the vehicle, was the front-seat passenger and was determined to be illegally present in the U.S.  In addition to Ortega-Garcia and Montoya-Landaverde, there were four other adult passengers in the vehicle, all of whom were illegally present in the U.S.

The case was investigated by the U.S. Border Patrol and Homeland Security Investigations.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Stan Harris was the prosecutor for the case.

Source: United States Department of Justice News

SHREVEPORT/MONROE, La. – United States Attorney Brandon B. Brown announced that four defendants have been sentenced in U.S. District Court in connection with three separate cases.  The defendants and their sentences are as follows:

Schyler Algernon Smith and Ladarrell Cortrell Washington, both of Shreveport, Louisiana, have been sentenced by Chief United States District Judge S. Maurice Hicks, Jr. on drug trafficking charges.  Smith, 33, was sentenced to 262 months (21 years, 10 months) in prison, followed by 4 years of supervised release, for conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine.  Washington, 41, was sentenced to 63 months (5 years, 3 months) in prison, followed by 3 years of supervised release, for distribution of methamphetamine.

Smith pleaded guilty on October 21, 2021 to conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine. Washington pleaded guilty on August 17, 2021 to distribution of methamphetamine. The charges in this case stem from an investigation by agents with the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA). On February 7, 2019, agents conducted surveillance of Washington as he met his suspected source of supply of narcotics, who was later determined to be Smith. Through their investigation, agents were able to prove that the package delivered to Washington by Smith and later sold to another individual, contained 500 MDMA tablets. Those tablets were sent to the DEA Criminalistics Laboratory and determined to be 102.9 grams of a mixture and substance containing methamphetamine.

The case was investigated by the DEA and prosecuted by U.S. Attorney Brandon B. Brown and Assistant U.S. Attorney Jessica D. Cassidy.

Billy Ray Murphy, Jr., 37, of Shreveport, was sentenced by United States District Judge Donald E. Walter to 151 months (12 years, 7 month), followed by 5 years of supervised release. Murphy was indicted and pleaded guilty on December 2, 2021 to one count of possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine. On April 18, 2021, a Louisiana State Police trooper conducted a traffic stop of a vehicle being driven by Murphy. When Murphy opened the glove box to retrieve the vehicle paperwork, the trooper observed a handgun in the glove box. Murphy told the trooper that the firearm belonged to his girlfriend and gave consent to search the vehicle. Inside the trunk, troopers found 2.37 pounds of cocaine, 19.9 pounds of MDMA (more than 60,000 pills), and 21.5 pounds of synthetic marijuana. The MDMA was tested and found to contain methamphetamine. In addition, Murphy had four cell phones, a scale and a large amount of cash in the vehicle.

The case was investigated by the DEA and Louisiana State Police and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney J. Aaron Crawford.

Jeremy Michael Davis, 37, of Monroe, Louisiana was sentenced by United States District Judge Terry A. Doughty to 196 months (16 years, 4 months) in prison, followed by 5 years supervised release, for conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine.  Agents with the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) began an investigation into the drug trafficking activities of Davis and his co-defendants. Through their investigation, they learned that beginning in October 2018 and continuing through March 2020, Davis conspired with three other individuals to possess methamphetamine with the intent to distribute it. On November 7, 2019, agents were able to intercept a phone call with Davis wherein he discussed the purchase price and sale of methamphetamine.  Agents then conducted surveillance and confirmed Davis’ participation in the sale of methamphetamine.  Agents ultimately seized the narcotics, and it was tested and confirmed to contain 88.6 grams of actual methamphetamine.

The case was investigated by the DEA and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Brian C. Flanagan.

This case is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF.

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