22 Persons Charged in 4 Federal Drug Trafficking Indictments

DES MOINES, Iowa, Sept. 6 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- On September 6,
2007, a Federal Grand Jury sitting in Des Moines returned four indictments
charging 22 people with drug trafficking and related offenses in and about
Polk County, Iowa, announced United States Attorney Matthew G. Whitaker.

Charged in the four indictments are: Alejandro Martinez-Garcia,
Guadalupe Rodriguez, Homero Landa, Alfonso Cervantes-Garcia, Miguel Angel
Avalos, Javier Sabino Luna, Martin Rodriguez, Carlos Armando Parra-Garcia,
Oscar Garcia- Briceno, Eduardo Castillo, Jr., Gilberto Bernal-Balderas,
Jason McNeeley, Rocio Saldana-Ibarra, Israel R. Flores, Miguel Tapia-Puga,
Juan Manuel Chavez- Alverez, Mayra Elena Mireles, Jose Luis Velez-Delgado,
Karlomar Quintanilla, Juan Alejandro Martinez-Chavez, Jose Alfredo
Jiminez-Sandoval, and Miguel Murillo-Garcia.

Most of the 22 defendants are in state or federal custody pending
arraignment on the federal indictments. Only five of the defendants remain
at large: Homero Landa, Jose Luis Velez-Delgado, Jose Alfredo
Jiminez-Sandoval, Guadalupe Rodriguez, and Carlos Armando Parra-Garcia.
Seventeen of the 22 defendants are subject to detainers by Immigration and
Customs Enforcement (ICE) because they are Mexican nationals illegally in
the United States of America.

These cases are part of the federal Organized Crime Drug Enforcement
Task Force (OCDETF) program. This investigation is a good example of
multi-agency, cooperative law enforcement, targeting an entire criminal
organization by using investigative techniques including a federal wiretap.
The ongoing investigation is being led by the United States Drug
Enforcement Administration and the State of Iowa Division of Narcotics
Enforcement. As a result of this investigation, a criminal organization
trafficking in illegal drugs in central Iowa has been virtually eliminated,
and the flow of drugs into the area has been significantly interrupted.

United States Attorney Matthew G. Whitaker further announced that on
Aug.17, 2007, a multi-agency task force attempted to execute 20 arrest
warrants issued pursuant to federal criminal Complaints. Many of the people
charged in the current indictments were taken into custody pursuant to
these Complaints. They subsequently appeared in federal court and were
bound over for indictment. Also on August 17, the multi-agency task force
simultaneously executed a series of federal search warrants in Polk County,
which played a significant role in obtaining these four indictments. As a
result of this investigation, approximately $576,000, 20 pounds of
methamphetamine, 4 handguns and an assault rifle have been seized.

One of the indictments charges 17 defendants with being involved in a
conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine from about January 2006, to about
Aug. 17, 2007. The indictment further charges some defendants with
additional counts of distribution of methamphetamine, possession with
intent to distribute methamphetamine, distribution and possession with
intent to distribute marijuana, and possession of firearms in furtherance
of drug crimes. The defendants could each face terms of imprisonment from
10 years to life, a fine of not more than $4,000,000, or both imprisonment
and a fine, and a term of supervised release of at least five years.

Two defendants charged in a separate six count indictment centering
about a conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine in and about Polk County,
Iowa, from about January 30, 2007, to about August 10, 2007 face terms of
imprisonment from five to 40 years, a fine of not more than $2,000,000, or
both imprisonment and a fine, and a term of supervised release of at least
four years.

Another seven count indictment, charges two additional defendants
stemming from a conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine in and about Polk
County, Iowa, from about October 2, 2006, to about Aug. 17, 2007. On the
conspiracy count and two of the distribution counts, they each face
imprisonment of five to 40 years, a fine of not more than $2,000,000, or
both imprisonment and a fine, and a term of supervised release of at least
four years. On the three additional charges of distribution against these
defendants, they each face terms of imprisonment of up to 20 years, a fine
of not more than $1,000,000, or both imprisonment and a fine, and a term of
supervised release of at least three years.

Finally, charged in a separate five count indictment centering about a
conspiracy to distribute cocaine in and about Polk County, Iowa, from about
October 25, 2006, to about Dec. 8, 2006, is Miguel Murillo-Garcia, who is
charged with conspiracy and four counts of distribution of cocaine. On the
conspiracy count, he faces imprisonment of five to 40 years, a fine of not
more than $2,000,000, or both imprisonment and a fine, and a term of
supervised release of at least four years. On the four charges of
distribution, he faces a term of imprisonment of up to 20 years, a fine of
not more than $1,000,000, or both imprisonment and a fine, and a term of
supervised release of at least three years.

United States Attorney Matthew G. Whitaker reminds the public that each
charge is merely an accusation, and the defendant is presumed innocent of
each and every charge until and unless proven guilty.

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