Month: May 2022

Source: United States Department of Justice News

BOSTON – A Brockton man was sentenced today in federal court in Boston in connection with trafficking fentanyl and cocaine.

Paul Nova, a/k/a “Meagan,” 30, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Nathaniel M. Gorton to 150 months in prison and four years of supervised release. In June 2021, Nova pleaded guilty to one count of distribution of and possession with intent to distribute 40 grams or more of fentanyl and 500 grams or more of cocaine and one count of possession of firearms in furtherance of a drug trafficking offense.

In June 2017, Nova was found in possession of $5,000 in cash, two cell phones and fentanyl in distribution sized quantities. During a subsequent search of his apartment, a plaid bag containing 17 plastic bags containing approximately 840 grams of cocaine, 300 grams of fentanyl, multiple kilograms of cutting agents, drug distribution paraphernalia and client lists were found in a bedroom that had been locked with a deadbolt. Also found in the apartment was approximately $28,000, two digital scales, assorted packages and preparation materials, numerous cell phones and firearms: a stolen .40 Caliber Smith and Wesson model SW-40 handgun loaded with 12 rounds of ammunition; a Jimenez Arms model JA-22 handgun loaded with five rounds of ammunition; a .45 caliber Glock model 21 handgun with two high capacity magazines; a fully loaded .38 caliber Colt Cobra revolver handgun; a 9mm CZ model 75 handgun loaded with 14 rounds of ammunition; a Walter model P-22 handgun; a H&R model 929 Revolver loaded with eight rounds of ammunition; a large capacity magazine loaded with 12.40 caliber rounds of ammunition; and a 9mm high capacity magazines.

United States Attorney Rachael S. Rollins; Brian D. Boyle, Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Agency, Boston Field Office; and Colonel Christopher Mason, Superintendent of the Massachusetts State Police, made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jared Dolan of Rollins’ Narcotics & Money Laundering Unit prosecuted the case.

Source: United States Department of Justice News

GREAT FALLS  — A Great Falls woman who admitted to distributing methamphetamine and fentanyl to an individual, who then died of a drug overdose, was sentenced today to 12 years in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release, U.S. Attorney Leif M. Johnson said.

Brandie Rae Fulbright, 40, pleaded guilty in January to distribution of controlled substances resulting in death.

Chief U.S. District Judge Brian M. Morris presided. Chief Judge Morris also ordered $815 restitution.

In court documents, the government alleged that on Aug. 23, 2020, Great Falls police officers were dispatched to a camper trailer where they found a man, identified as John Doe, deceased on a bed. Co-defendant Kent Fox was on the scene. Fox was friends with John Doe, had last seen him two days earlier and had gone to check on him.

The government further alleged that Fulbright, with Fox’s assistance, conducted a drug deal with John Doe two days earlier. As part of the deal, John Doe traded a stolen AR-15 semiautomatic rifle for meth and fentanyl from Fulbright. Fulbright then gave the rifle to Fox, and Fox returned Doe to his camper. A short time later, John Doe died from an overdose of meth and fentanyl that Fulbright had provided. Fox previously was sentenced to 14 years in prison for his conviction in the case.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Jeffrey K. Starnes prosecuted the case, which was investigated by the FBI and Great Falls Police Department.

This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods, a U.S. Department of Justice initiative to reduce violent crime. Through PSN, federal, tribal, state and local law enforcement partners in Montana focus on violent crime driven by methamphetamine trafficking, armed robbers, firearms offenses and violent offenders with outstanding warrants.

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Source: United States Department of Justice News

Assistant U. S. Attorneys Lawrence A. Casper (619) 546-6734, Paul Benjamin (619) 546-7579, James Redd (619) 546-9661

NEWS RELEASE SUMMARY – May 16, 2022

SAN DIEGO – A federal drug investigation has resulted in the discovery of a sophisticated cross-border tunnel and charges against six people for conspiring to distribute 1,762 pounds of cocaine.

The subterranean passageway, stretching from Tijuana, Mexico to a warehouse in Otay Mesa just east of the Port of Entry, is estimated to be about 1,744 feet long, 61 feet deep and 4-feet in diameter, with reinforced walls, a rail system, electricity and a ventilation system.

The defendants include Mario Jaramillo of Huntington Beach; Adrian Enriquez of Perris, Calif.; Juan Cruz of San Ysidro; and Vanessa Ramirez, Luz de Luna Olmos and Manuel Perez of San Diego. All are charged with cocaine trafficking; Olmos and Ramirez are also charged with methamphetamine and heroin trafficking. In addition to the 1,762 pounds of cocaine, authorities seized 164 pounds of methamphetamine and 3.5 pounds of heroin.

The tunnel was discovered just after midnight on Friday by U.S. law enforcement officials from Homeland Security Investigations who were conducting surveillance on a National City residence that was previously used as a stash house in a cocaine smuggling event on March 2. That event had resulted in the arrest of one person and the seizure of 28 kilograms of cocaine.

According to the federal complaint, at about 11:45 a.m., officials observed as Olmos and Ramirez drove away from that National City residence in a silver Nissan Frontier pickup truck to Harbor Freight Tools store in Chula Vista, where they retrieved large cardboard boxes from a dumpster and put them into the pickup truck.

The women then entered the Harbor Freight Tools store and purchased wheeled carts that are typically used to move heavy items, the complaint said. They later returned to the residence in the pickup truck and removed the boxes from the back of the pick-up bed and carried them inside the residence. At about 1:20 p.m., Olmos left the residence and drove to a Walmart store, where she purchased additional cardboard boxes and transported them back to the residence.

At approximately 2:30 p.m., Ramirez drove the pickup away from the residence to a warehouse located at 9986 Via De La Amistad, Unit A, in San Diego. The warehouse is approximately 300 feet north of the U.S.-Mexico border fence.

Ramirez drove the pickup into the bay of the warehouse and the roll-up door was shut immediately after. At approximately 4:40 p.m., the warehouse door opened. Ramirez exited the warehouse in the pickup and drove back to the residence with law enforcement conducting surveillance.

In the hours that followed, law enforcement officials saw five other cars come and go from either the residence, the warehouse or both. Those vehicles were ultimately stopped by law enforcement, drugs were seized from the vehicles and the residence, and defendants associated with the cars and or residence were arrested.

Upon searching the warehouse, agents uncovered the sophisticated cross-border tunnel exit point carved out of the cement floor.

“There is no more light at the end of this narco-tunnel,” said U.S. Attorney Randy Grossman. “We will take down every subterranean smuggling route we find to keep illicit drugs from reaching our streets and destroying our families and communities.”

Grossman thanked the prosecution team, HSI San Diego Costa Pacifico Money Laundering Task Force, and its partners from the San Diego Sheriff’s Department, Drug Enforcement Administration, and Customs and Border Protection for their excellent work on this case. “This tunnel was discovered because of the patience and tenacity of federal agents who are passionate about protecting their communities from the scourge of drug addiction and related violence.”

“The San Diego law enforcement community has multiple investigative task forces that highly prioritize tunnel detection- exemplified by this tunnel discovery by the Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) San Diego led Costa Pacifico Money Laundering Task Force,” said HSI San Diego Special Agent in Charge Chad Plantz. “The San Diego law enforcement community throughout the years has consistently shown its ability to detect and remediate tunnels while bringing those responsible to justice.”

There have been 90 subterranean passages discovered in the Southern District of California since 1993. Of those, 27 were considered sophisticated. The last tunnel discovered in the Southern District of California was in March 2020.

The defendants are scheduled to be arraigned this afternoon by U.S. Magistrate Judge Jill Burkhardt.

The discovery of the tunnel resulted from an ongoing investigation by members of the San Diego Costa Pacifico Money Laundering Task Force, which include Homeland Security Investigations, San Diego Sheriff’s Department, Drug Enforcement Administration, Customs and Border
Protection and the United States Attorney’s Office. 

DEFENDANTS                                             Case Number 22mj01680                                        

Mario Jaramillo                      55                    Huntington Beach

Adrian Enriquez                     31                    Perris

Manuel Perez                          49                    San Diego

Juan Cruz                                48                    San Ysidro

Vanessa Ramirez                    31                    San Diego 

Luz de Luna Olmos                43                    San Diego

SUMMARY OF CHARGES

Count 1: Conspiracy to Distribute Cocaine (all six defendants) – Title 21, U.S.C., Sections 841 and 846;

Maximum penalty: Mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years and maximum of life in prison and $1 million fine

Count 2: Conspiracy to Distribute Methamphetamine (Olmos and Ramirez) – Title 21 U.S.C. Sections 841 and 846;

Maximum penalty: Mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years and maximum of life in prison and $1 million fine

Count 3: Conspiracy to Distribute Heroin (Luz de Luna Olmos & Vanessa Ramirez) – Title 21 U.S.C. Sections 841 and 846;

Maximum penalty: Mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years and maximum of life in prison and $1 million fine

AGENCIES

Homeland Security Investigations

San Diego Sheriff’s Department

United States Border Patrol

*The charges and allegations contained in a complaint or indictment are merely accusations, and the defendants are considered innocent unless and until proven guilty.