Nine indicted on charges of dealing heroin in Tucson
By Alexis Huicochea
Arizona Daily Star
Tucson, Arizona

Nine people believed to be involved in trafficking heroin in Tucson have been indicted, officials said Wednesday.
Four of the nine defendants were arrested Wednesday morning during an operation that was conducted by the DEA along with a number of other local agencies, according to a news release from Attorney General Terry Goddard.
The ring is believed to be responsible for selling three-quarters of a pound to 1 pound of heroin a week in Tucson, the release said.
Between Dec. 1 and Jan. 18, the defendants operated a drug organization that arranged for drugs to be supplied for distribution in Tucson. They also arranged for people to sell the narcotics, according to the indictment.
The four Tucsonans who were arrested and have been booked into the Pima County jail are:
∫ Jimmy Chavez-Vaez, 21, who was one of three runners or sellers of the heroin, the release said. He was indicted on one count of conspiracy, more than a dozen counts of unlawful use of a wire communication to facilitate a drug-related transaction and four counts of unlawful transportation of a narcotic drug for sale. If convicted of all charges he faces up to 73 years in prison.
∫ Natividad Aguilar, 23, was also a runner and is now facing up to 13 years in prison. He was indicted on one count of conspiracy and one count of unlawful use of a wire communication to facilitate a drug-related transaction.
∫ Victor Hugo Lopez Aguilar, 29, was one of two people responsible for coordinating the runners and is now facing up to 22 years in prison. He was indicted on one count of conspiracy and one count of unlawful use of a wire communication to facilitate a drug-related transaction and is also being held on two unrelated failure to appear charges on narcotic drug violations.
∫ Estevan Lopez Manjarres, 27, was also one of the coordinators of the runners. He also supplied them when they needed additional narcotics and collected proceeds from the sales. He was indicted on one count of conspiracy, 13 counts of unlawful use of a wire communication to facilitate a drug-related transaction and four counts of unlawful transportation for sale of a narcotic drug.
If convicted on all charges, he faces up to 72 years in prison.
Diego de la Fuente, 19, of Phoenix was taken into custody after investigators found that he was in possession of more than 200 pounds of marijuana. He is not a part of the drug organization.
Five others — men and women — and still wanted. Their names will not be released until they have been served with the indictment.
“It is important to note that this organization had a propensity for violence,â€