Prolific Drug Trafficking Organization Dismantled

JOHNSTOWN – Fifty-seven defendants have been charged in two separate, however associated indictments, and by prison criticism, with violating federal narcotics and firearms legal guidelines, Performing U.S. Lawyer Troy Rivetti introduced in the present day.

Brokers from the Federal Bureau of Investigation and Division of Homeland Safety – Homeland Safety Investigations within the Western District of Pennsylvania initially started investigating a violent avenue gang working in western Pennsylvania starting in 2018.

Brokers obtained data from confidential sources, performed greater than 50 managed buys from members of the group and used different investigative methods over the course of this prolonged investigation.

In Might of 2022, brokers commenced court-authorized Title III interception of telephones utilized by members of the drug trafficking group.

The wiretaps revealed that the DTO was conducting drug trafficking operations within the following areas: Indiana, Westmoreland and Armstrong counties within the Western District of Pennsylvania; Cleveland, Ohio; Phoenix, Ariz.; Seattle, Wash.; Minneapolis, Minn.; Wichita, Kansas; and in Mexico.

These interceptions revealed that Arizona-sourced medicine, which consisted of fentanyl (in each tablet and powdered type), heroin, cocaine, crack cocaine and methamphetamine, have been being distributed in communities by the western Pennsylvania members of the DTO.

Over the previous 10 months, investigators have seized greater than 673 kilos of fentanyl-laced pretend prescription tablets, over 400 kilos of methamphetamine and greater than 16 kilos every of fentanyl powder and cocaine, over $600,000 in money, 9 automobiles and 47 firearms.

“The Division of Justice is working tirelessly to take away lethal fentanyl from our communities and to dismantle and maintain accountable the violent cartels and drug-trafficking organizations answerable for distributing it,” mentioned Rivetti.

“We’re dedicated to utilizing each software at our disposal to save lots of lives. Operation Lake Impact exemplifies that dedication.”

“These defendants exploited our neighborhoods as they dealt lethal fentanyl and different medicine with no second thought to the hurt being inflicted on the neighborhood,” mentioned FBI Pittsburgh Particular Agent in Cost Mike Nordwall.

“This multi-state state operation is an impressive instance of what federal, state and native regulation enforcement can accomplish after we work collectively to focus on the people who threaten the security and stability of our neighborhoods.

“The FBI is dedicated to working with our companions to rid the streets of such a prison exercise and the violence that so typically accompanies it.”

“The sheer amount of narcotics seized and the magnitude of defendants charged on this investigation is staggering,” mentioned Particular Agent in Cost of HSI Philadelphia William S. Walker.

“However much more impactful is how this investigation disrupted almost each distribution equipment of a prolific drug trafficking group peddling addictive opioids and narcotics in communities everywhere in the United States.

“These are the sorts of far-reaching investigations that result in actual and constructive change in our communities, and these successes couldn’t have been achieved with out the selfless dedication and seamless cooperation of the various investigators and prosecutors who took half.

“This investigation will trigger ripples inside drug trafficking markets all through the nation, underscoring HSI’s worldwide technique to counter threats posed by opioids and harmful narcotics. Most significantly, circumstances like this one save lives.”

The 25 residents of Pennsylvania and Ohio named in a four-count indictment returned on Feb. 14, 2023, and unsealed in the present day are:

• Robert Hurst, 44, of North Royalton, OH;
• Barry Baker, 44, of Indiana, PA;
• Michael Brown, 41, of Indiana, PA;
• Kayda Burek, 23, of New Kensington, PA;
• Joseph Busch, 43, of New Kensington, PA;
• Christine Cafazzo, 53, of New Kensington, PA;
• Ernest Clinton, 40, of Leechburg, PA;
• Misti Durante, 38, of Indiana, PA;
• Travis Ezekiel, 34, of Cleveland, OH;
• Melissa Frain, 34, of Indiana, PA;
• Frank Gardner, 38, of Indiana, PA;
• Keith Hurst, 45, of Tarentum, PA;
• Kasmin James, 38, of New Kensington, PA;
• Lamar Johnson, 40, of Indiana, PA;
• Thomas King, Jr., 55, of New Kensington, PA;
• Torrence Lyde, 33, of Cleveland, OH;
• Lonnie McCann, 48, of Pittsburgh, PA;
• Kareem Middlebrook, 41, Creekside, PA;
• Devan Nicholson, 29, of New Kensington, PA;
• Milton Paschal, 43, of Arnold, PA;
• Cathie Payson, 52, of Indiana, PA;
• Kevin Thomas, 46, of Vandergrift, PA;
• DeAngelo Ward, 33, of Cleveland, OH;
• Ashley Weston, 38, of Muncy, PA; and
• David Williams, 60, of Creekside, PA.

The indictment fees all defendants with conspiring to distribute and possess with intent to distribute Schedule I and Schedule II managed substances, from August of 2018 to February of 2023, within the Western District of Pennsylvania.

All defendants are dealing with a compulsory minimal sentence of 10 years of incarceration.  

Kareem Middlebrook is charged at depend two with possession with intent to distribute a quantify of fentanyl, on or about Might 2, 2022.  The statute requires a most sentence of 20 years of incarceration.

Kareem Middlebrook is charged at depend three with possession of a firearm and ammunition by a convicted felon, on or about Might 2, 2022. The statute requires a most sentence of 10 years of incarceration.

Kareem Middlebrook is charged at depend 4 with possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, on or about Might 2, 2022. The statute requires a compulsory minimal sentence of 5 years of incarceration.

A one-count superseding indictment, returned on Feb. 14, 2023, and unsealed in the present day named the next 29 people as defendants:

• Marcos Monarrez-Mendoza, 53, of Phoenix, AZ;
• Samuel Aguirre, 21, of Phoenix, AZ;
• Marcos Armenta, 22, of Phoenix, AZ;
• Mark Camacho, 24, of Phoenix, AZ;
• Robert Foster, 25, of Buckeye, AZ;
• Donald Garwood, 40, of Glendale, AZ;
• Erivan Guerrero, 22, of Phoenix, AZ;
• Bryce Hill, 25, Seattle, WA;
• Emmanuel Lopez, 27, of Glendale, AZ;
• Cesar Monarrez, 25, of Maricopa, AZ;
• Marcos Monarrez Jr., 23, of Phoenix, AZ;
• Jairo Morales, 21, of Phoenix, AZ;
• Stephanie Ortiz, 24, of Avondale, AZ;
• Valerie Sanchez, 35, of Phoenix, AZ;
• Heaven West, 21, of Phoenix, AZ;
• Carlos Zamora, 27, of Peoria, AZ;
• Humberto Arredondo-Soto, 23, of Phoenix, AZ;
• Colby Barrow, 29, of Peoria, AZ;
• Luis Chavez-Ortega, 26, of Glendale, AZ;
• Donnell Collins, 27, of Cleveland, OH;
• Mohamed Kariye, 34, of Kent, WA;
• Jesus Lopez, 21, of Phoenix, AZ;
• Diego Monarrez, 21, of Phoenix, AZ;
• Avante Nix, 20, of Saint Paul, MN;
• Alicia Parks, 24, of Kent, WA;
• James Pinkston, 32, of Pittsburgh, PA;
• Jesus Ramirez, 25, of Phoenix, AZ;
• Sahal Sahal, 36, of SeaTac, WA; and
• Diamond Williams-Dorsey, 29, of Cleveland, OH.

The superseding indictment fees all defendants with conspiring to distribute and possess with intent to distribute 5 kilograms or extra of a mix and substance containing a detectable quantity of cocaine, 400 grams or extra of a mix and substance containing a detectable quantity of fentanyl, and 500 grams or extra of a mix and substance containing a detectable quantity of methamphetamine, from April of 2022 to January of 2023, within the Western District of Pennsylvania.  The statute requires a compulsory minimal sentence of ten years of incarceration.

Three further defendants are charged by prison criticism.

Raheem Hurst, 25, of Garfield Heights, OH; Leah Jackson, 37, of New Kensington, PA; and Samantha Jones. 40. of Arnold, PA, are charged with conspiracy to distribute and to own with intent to distribute 500 grams or extra of a mix and substance containing a detectable quantity of cocaine. The statute requires a compulsory minimal sentence of 5 years of incarceration.

Underneath the Federal Sentencing Tips, the precise sentence imposed could be based mostly upon the seriousness of the offenses and the prior prison historical past, if any, of the defendants.

Assistant U.S. Lawyer Arnold P. Bernard Jr. is prosecuting these circumstances for the federal government. This prosecution is a results of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Process Pressure (OCDETF) investigation.

OCDETF identifies, disrupts and dismantles high-level drug traffickers, cash launderers, gangs, and transnational prison organizations that threaten communities all through the US.

OCDETF makes use of a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency strategy that leverages the strengths of federal, state and native regulation enforcement businesses towards prison networks.

The Federal Bureau of Investigation, Laurel Highlands Resident Company, Homeland Safety Investigations and FBI Pittsburgh’s Southwest Pennsylvania Secure Streets Process Pressure performed the investigation resulting in the costs on this case.

Extra federal businesses taking part on this investigation embody HSI and FBI in Phoenix and Seattle, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Inner Income Service – Legal Investigation, the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, the U.S. Marshals Service and the Federal Air Marshals Service.

Different taking part businesses embody the Pennsylvania State Police, Pennsylvania Lawyer Common’s Workplace, New Kensington Police Division, Westmoreland County Detectives, Indiana Borough Police Division, Phoenix (Arizona) Police Division, Scottsdale (Arizona) Police Division, and the Arizona Division of Public Security.

Beneficial help was supplied by the Indiana County District Lawyer’s Workplace, the Westmoreland County District Lawyer’s Workplace, the Cambria County District Lawyer’s Workplace, and the Beaver County District Lawyer’s Workplace. An indictment or a superseding indictment is an accusation.

A defendant is presumed harmless except and till confirmed responsible.