Felon in Possession of a Firearms and Ammunition (18, U.S.C., Secs. We'll send you the top local news stories every morning at 8 a.m. By clicking subscribe, you agree to share your email address with Times of San Diego to receive our free newsletter and breaking news alerts. Today we sent a message to drug traffickers in our community, U.S. Attorney Robert Brewer said. It is common for employees to hand out small amounts of methamphetamine and comp customers to keep them playing and coming back for more, reads the warrant. Have a question about Government Services? This prosecution underscores that coordinated criminal activity will be met with a coordinated and focused law enforcement response by the U.S. Attorneys Office and our law enforcement partners at the federal, state, and local level. The indictment details the conspirators efforts in April 2020 to smuggle 46.6 pounds (21.2 kilograms) of methamphetamine from Mexico across the U.S port of entry at Calexico and into Riverside County. Lock The charges and allegations contained in an indictment or complaint are merely accusations, and the defendants are considered innocent unless and until proven guilty. Slaphouses are named for the button-bashing sound made by patrons playing on illegal machines. We are committed to dismantling violent gangs and holding their members accountable for criminal conduct., The FBI is proud to work alongside our local, state, and federal partners on the Violent Crimes Task Force to address the gang problem and rid our streets of the overflow of drugs and guns which continue to plague our communities, said FBI Special Agent in Charge Suzanne Turner. 841(a)(1). Get FBI email alerts Both were arrested in April on charges of possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine and are currently in federal custody. 952 & 960). The members of the ring will face firearm, money-laundering and drug-distribution charges. Help us grow with a monthly contribution. Callery said that the targets of Operation Crystal Shield were purchasing over 100 pounds of meth a week, "which is an enormous amount for any city in the United States, Callery said. Grossman said law enforcement has seized more than 200 pounds of methamphetamine, 90 firearms and more than $200,000 during the investigation. The members of law enforcement at the news conference were flanked by two tables bristling with firearms of all types, as well as boxes at their feet bearing more weapons. An indictment contains allegations that a defendant has committed a crime. Also arrested were alleged drug dealers who operated within the dens. Vasquez is accused of coordinating the killings, according to a U.S. Attorneys Office motion to unseal the charges. The FBIs Safe Streets Task Force received assistance during the investigation from the San Bernardino County Sheriffs Department; U.S. Customs and Border Protection, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and the United States Marshals Service. Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites. "Together, these cities account for about 75% of all methamphetamine traffic within the United States.". 619-232-4311. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF. ) A San Diego man who killed his boyfriend by stabbing him 93 times was sentenced today to life in federal prison, announced U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Texas Leigha Simonton. He pleaded guilty in July 2022 to one count of interstate domestic violence resulting in death and was sentenced Thursday by U.S. District . They have been linked to drugs and violent crime. 922(g)(1). If you sell drugs in San Diego, we will find you and prosecute you to the full extent of the law.. Learn more about how we use cookies in our cookie policy. Whoops! Attorneys from the Department of Justice, Office of Enforcement Operations, Electronic Surveillance Unit, also provided critical assistance to the investigation. the announcement coincided with the unsealing of a federal grand jury indictment in san diego charging 17 foreign nationals with conspiring to violate the racketeer influenced and corrupt. We have taken down the illegal gambling dens, and we have lifted a weight off our neighborhoods, said Acting U.S. Attorney Randy Grossman. During this mornings takedown, 12 of the federal defendants were arrested. Earlier this month, a man who allegedly laundered drug money for the Sinaloa Cartel was arraigned in San Diego federal court on conspiracy charges. Main Office:
The CJNG is considered the most dangerous, well-armed and fastest-growing cartel in Mexico. So far, 44 of the 60 defendants are already in state or federal custody, the prosecutor said. Grossman described Operation Crystal Shielf as a "multi-jurisdictional investigation targeting a sophisticated San Diego-based network used by the Sinaloa Cartel to distribute methamphetamine throughout the United States and to smuggle drug proceeds back into Southern California.". Our team of experts has selected the best teeth whitening gel out of hundreds of options. 841(a)(1) and 846; Conspiracy to Import Heroin, in violation of Title 21, U.S.C., Secs. The FBI said that those arrested Wednesday ranged from owners of the businesses to those who acted as security doormen and bankers, as well as the drug dealers who operated within the dens. An official website of the United States government. 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The investigation leading to these federal charges focused on the criminal activities of the Riverside-based Casa Blanca Rifa criminal street gang to combat drug trafficking and associated violence in Riverside and the surrounding community. Maximum Penalties: For Possession with Intent to Distribute Charge: 40 years imprisonment with a mandatory minimum sentence of 5 years and a $5 million fine. The CJNGs rapid expansion of its drug trafficking activities is characterized by the groups willingness to engage in violent confrontations with Mexican government security forces and rival cartels, according to the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administrations most recent National Drug Threat Assessment report. Maximum Penalties: For Felon in Possession of Firearm Charge: 10 years imprisonment and a $250,000 fine. To protect their illegal operations, the defendants used encrypted communications services to communicate with each other. The people selling drugs inside may be employees or independent drug dealers. Our DA team worked tirelessly with the Violent Crimes Task Force and the U.S. Attorneys Office assisting with critical search warrants during the course of this operation.. The drug dealers moved the narcotics around the country utilizing various means, including FedEx and UPS, according to investigators. Christopher Alexis Gomez, 17, and Juan Suarez-Ojeda, 18, both U.S. citizens from San Diego, and Angel Said Robles, 17, of Tijuana were in a Tijuana apartment when a group of people burst in. Maximum Penalties: For Possession with Intent to Distribute Methamphetamine Charges: Life in prison with a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years and a $10 million fine. Official websites use .govA .gov website belongs to an official government organization in the United States. Meth, Firearm Result in 10 Years of Prison January 03, 2023 JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. MCC San Diego is a prison complex that contains An administrative security metropolitan correctional center. The operation resulted in 35 arrests and charges against 47 people, according to federal indictments unsealed Wednesday. Maximum Penalties: For Felon in Possession of Firearm and Ammunition Charges: years imprisonment and a $250,000 fine. The charges, which were recently unsealed, include conspiracy to import and distribute heroin and methamphetamine. DEFENDANTS Case Number: 21CR1409-DMS, DEFENDANT Case Number: 21CR1410-DMS. Conspiracy to Distribute Controlled Substance, in violation of Title 21, U.S.C., Secs. He checks all my emails, messages, messengers, FB (Facebook) posts, Maya Millete texted her brother months before she disappeared, Privacy PolicyTerms of ServiceSign Up For Our Newsletters, Copyright 2023, The San Diego Union-Tribune |. 841(a)(1)). maps_and_photos_4-14-21x.pdf unsealed_sw_21mj1300.pdf Copyright 2023 NBCUniversal Media, LLC. Conspiracy to Distribute Methamphetamine, in violation of Title 21, U.S.C., Secs. In all, 44 firearms, more than 12 pounds of methamphetamine, $263,000 in cash, and 640 gambling machines were seized during the culmination of a two-year investigation. Local, state and federal partners on the Violent Crimes Task Force, including the FBI, worked together on the yearlong investigation. Long is a reputed member of the V-Boys Vietnamese street gang, who has previous convictions for illegal gambling and drugs, according to the affidavit. April 14, 2021 - SAN DIEGO - A federal grand jury has indicted 47 people who are allegedly associated with illegal gambling establishments that are closely tied to gangs, drugs, and. As of Thursday afternoon, 17 of the 23 defendants -- all identified as San Diego residents ranging in age from 23 to 60 -- were in federal or state custody, with a dozen of the defendants arrested this week. Grand Jury. I am particularly grateful to FBI Special Agent in Charge Suzanne Turner, SDPD Chief David Nisleit, and District Attorney Summer Stephan for their work on this investigation and their dedication to keeping our community safe., These gambling dens were not only host to illegal gambling, but a hub for a variety of other criminal activity to include drug trafficking and unlawful possession of firearms, said FBI Special Agent in Charge Suzanne Turner. FBI.gov is an official site of the U.S. Department of Justice. The 19-count indictment charges a total of 19 defendants with one count of conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine, an offense that carries a mandatory minimum 10-year prison sentence and a statutory maximum penalty of life imprisonment. According to court records, it is common for employees to hand out small amounts of methamphetamine and comp customers to keep them playing and coming back for more. 12.06. . DEFENDANTS Case Number: 21CR1405-DMS. *The charges and allegations contained in an indictment or complaint are merely accusations, and the defendants are considered innocent unless and until proven guilty. Authorities also seized methamphetamine, heroin and firearms as part of the investigation. Dont buy a teeth whitening gel before reading these reviews. The cartel was an early adopter of trafficking fentanyl into the U.S. as a cheaper, more reliable alternative to heroin and, according to the U.S. Attorneys Office, is also a prolific methamphetamine producer and chemical importer, using precursors procured from China and India.. - A Jefferson City, Mo., man was sentenced in federal court today for illegally possessing a firearm and methamphetamine to distribute. Early this morning, more than 450 members of the FBI Violent Crimes Task Force - Gang Group, the San Diego Police Department and many other law enforcement agencies made 35 arrests and searched 24 locations, mostly illegal gambling dens in East San Diego neighborhoods. Some of that violence was aimed at three teenagers on Nov. 24, 2018. A .gov website belongs to an official government organization in the United States. Ryan Korner, who is the Special Agent in Charge of IRS Criminal Investigations Los Angeles Field Office, described how the criminal moved the money across international borders. The main draw to illegal gambling establishments is methamphetamine use and sales, according to the indictments. A lock ( Maximum Penalties: For Possession with Intent to Distribute and Distribution of Methamphetamine Charges: Life in prison with a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years and a $10 million fine. Attorneys Matthew J. Sutton and Adam Gordon for their excellent work on this case. ) or https:// means youve safely connected to the .gov website. The drug-trafficking organization, known by its Spanish initials CJNG, has risen in influence in recent years and has been battling the more entrenched Sinaloa Cartel for control of the lucrative Tijuana-San Diego smuggling route. Herrera is charged alongside alleged lieutenants Carlos Lorenzo Hinojosa Guerrero and Edgar Perez Villa in a superseding indictment returned by a San Diego federal grand jury in March 2020, part of a larger prosecution against 13 others. DEFENDANTS Case Number: 21CR1411-DMS, DEFENDANT Case Number: 21CR1412-DMS, DEFENDANTS Case Number: 21CR1413-DMS, DEFENDANTS Case Number: 21CR1414-DMS. Officials also announced seizures of more than 220 pounds of meth and other drugs, 90 firearms and more than $250,000 in cash. Specifically, on June 8, 2021, a federal grand jury indictment resulting from the sting operation was unsealed in San Diego. According to court records, it is common for gambling den owners to pay rent in cash to the owners of these properties and, in some cases, a percentage of the profits to cast a blind eye to all the foot traffic. Maximum Penalties: Importation of Methamphetamine Charges: Life in prison with a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years and a $10 million fine. SAN DIEGO Eleven federal indictments unsealed in San Diego today charge twenty-three documented gang members and associates with heroin, methamphetamine and firearms trafficking. Maximum Penalties: Importation of Methamphetamine Charges: Forty years imprisonment with a mandatory minimum sentence of five years and a $5 million fine. The indictment charges 17 foreign nationals with distributing thousands of encrypted communication devices to criminal syndicates, advertising the devices as "designed by criminals for criminals." A .gov website belongs to an official government organization in the United States. Distribution of Methamphetamine, in violation of Title 21, U.S.C., Sec. We'll send you the top local news stories every morning at 8 a.m. By clicking subscribe, you agree to share your email address with Times of San Diego to receive our free newsletter and breaking news alerts. Maximum Penalties: For Maintaining Drug Involved Premises Charges: Five years imprisonment and a $500,000 fine. As of Thursday afternoon, 17 of the 23 defendants -- all identified as San Diego residents ranging in age from 23 to 60 -- were in federal or state custody, with a dozen of the defendants. Numerous crimes have been linked to the illegal gambling operations, said SDPD Chief David Nisleit. The U.S. Attorney's office Grossman announced charges Tuesday afternoon against 60 alleged local members of a San Diego-based methamphetamine ring accused of working for a distribution network. According to the warrant, the use and sale of methamphetamine is intrinsically linked to slaphouses and acts as a draw to bring customers to the venues. 841(a)(1)). 922(g)(1). 856(a)(1)), Distribution of Methamphetamine (Title 21, U.S.C., Sec. The indictments are part of a yearlong investigation involving wiretaps, undercover drug and gun purchases and "extensive surveillance," according to the U.S. Attorney's Office. Four men alleged to be leaders in a Mexican cartel enforcement cell have been indicted in San Diego on drug-trafficking charges and are accused of orchestrating a wave of violence in Tijuana, including the murders of two San Diego teenagers in 2018, according to federal prosecutors. The operation resulted in 35 arrests and charges against 47 people, according. Possession with Intent to Distribute (Title 21, U.S.C., Sec. Possession with Intent to Distribute/Distribution of Methamphetamine (Title 21, U.S.C., Sec. Toll Free (800) 544-1106
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