9 members of drug ring plead guilty

The Associated Press
4:23 p.m. June 10, 2009

ANCHORAGE, Alaska — Nine members of a large drug ring that operated between California and Alaska have pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court in Anchorage.

The nine are among 12 individuals who were indicted last year by a grand jury on drug charges.

Each of the nine pleaded guilty to one count of drug conspiracy. One man also pleaded guilty to a firearms charge and two others to possession of drugs with intent to distribute.

Prosecutors say the drug conspiracy dated back to 2005, and operated between Van Nuys, Calif., and Alaska.

During the investigation, federal authorities say over six kilograms of cocaine, 500 grams of heroin, one kilogram of methamphetamine and over a dozen firearms were seized. Authorities also seized over $100,000 in cash.

Sentencing is expected to take place in August. The defendants face a minimum 10 years in prison and five years of supervised release. The maximum sentence is life in prison.

They also could be fined a maximum $4 million each.

Juan Manuel Mendiola, the man described as the ringleader who took care of the Alaska end of the operation, is scheduled to go to trial on Oct. 13, prosecutor Christine Thoreson said Wednesday.

Authorities say that Mendiola coordinated and organized the drug ring, while also cooking the cocaine to make crack cocaine.

Authorities continue to look for two men, including Diego Sebastian Munoz, 27, who allegedly coordinated the shipments and worked primarily out of the Van Nuys area. The other man is Jose Ruis, 22, who also allegedly coordinated the shipments.

The indictment says Ruis and Seirosa Sia Milo, 27, were in charge of receiving and shipping packages, which contained drugs, money and sometimes both. The drugs were shipped to Alaska using United Parcel Service and Fed Ex.

Distribution was left to Milo, Phonesavanh Vongthongdy, 22; Timothy Ray Moore, Jr., 27; Kenese Sene, 35; Bernard Yamura White, 27; Miguel Robles, 23; Vaughan Erickson, 29; Harold Cogo Graham, 22; and Patrick Allen Osburn, 26.

The drug dealers coordinated the operation mostly through the use of prepaid cell phones.

According to prosecutors, the defendants used violence and threats of violence to keep the drug ring concealed.

http://www3.signonsandiego.com/stories/ ... dex=114319