31 Indicted for $1 Million Drug–Trafficking Conspiracy

KANSAS CITY, Mo. Beth Phillips, United States Attorney for the Western District of Missouri, announced today that 31 defendants have been indicted for their roles in a $1 million drug–trafficking conspiracy that distributed at least 15 kilos of methamphetamine as well as cocaine and marijuana.

Thirty–one defendants in Kansas City, Mo., Independence, Mo., and elsewhere were charged in a 27–count indictment that was returned by a federal grand jury in Kansas City, Mo., on Tuesday, March 13, 2012. Several defendants have been arrested and remain in federal custody.

The federal indictment charges 11 defendants who are Mexican nationals residing in Kansas City, Mo.: Porfirio Almeida–Perez, also known as “Cadena,” “Flan,” “Guarache” and “Pilo,” 33; Sergio Almeida–Perez, also known as “Checo,” 27; Eric Medina–Medina, 21; Guadalupe Lara–Armenta, also known as “Lupe,” “Barbas,” “El Barbas” and “Molleja,” 21; Isidro Marrufo, also known as “Junior,” 22; Guadalupe Perez–Perez, also known as “Pitorrin” and “Seis,” 27; Ernesto Sandoval , also known as “Guero,” 53; Jose Isidro Marrufo–Rutiaga, 43; Isabel Gonzalez–Mendoza, also known as “Chavela,” 23; Angel De La Rosa–Garcia, 40; and Guzman Perez–Hernandez, 21.

Additional local defendants include Abel A. Martinez, also known as “Coco,” 37, and Kevin D. Blum, 25, both of Kansas City, Mo.; Cosme Ortiz–Miranda, also known as “Indio,” 43, and Carlos Renteria, also known as “Carlitos” and “Charlie,” 35, both Mexican nationals residing in Independence; Ramon Antonio Angulo–Sandoval, also known as “Ramon Angulo–Rivera,” “Tony” and “Carlos,” age unknown, a Mexican national residing in Kansas City, Kan.; and Guillermo Ortiz–Iribe, also known as “Memo,” 38, a Mexican national residing in Excelsior Springs, Mo.

The indictment also charges Jesus Monjardin–Araujo, also known as “Beco,” 38, a Mexican national residing in the state of California, Jose Alan Castro–Rojo, 33, a Mexican national residing in Montclair, Calif., Norberto Antonio Dangla–Sanchez, 36, of Modesto, Calif., and Jose F. Almeida–Olivas, 32, also known as “Jesus Almeida–Olivas,” “Chaparro” and “Chuy,” 32, a Mexican national residing in St. Paul, Minn. Ten additional defendants are Mexican nationals whose addresses are unknown: Ignacio Salcedo–Baez, also known as “Nacho,” 32, Martin Tavizon–Nunez, also known as “Guerro,” 42, Fredy Almeida–Velazquez, also known as “Cholito,” 27, Arturo Aviles–Perez, also known as “Charparrito,” 22, Sergio Campos–Medina, also known as “Checho,” 31, Enrique Lara, 48, Esteban Acosta–Perez, also known as “Cesar Palacios,” 35, Bruno Tavizon–Nunez, 43, Gerardo Flores–Magallon, 46, and Jose Guadalupe Delgado–Delval, also known as “Leonardo” and “Lupe,” 49.

The federal indictment alleges that all of the defendants – with the exception of Perez–Hernandez – have participated in a conspiracy since Jan. 1, 2007, to distribute methamphetamine, cocaine and marijuana.

In addition to the conspiracy, Martinez, Almeida–Perez, Medina–Medina , Dangla–Sanchez, Almeida–Velazquez, and Flores–Magallon are charged in various counts related to the distribution of methamphetamine. De La Rosa–Garcia was also charged with possessing cocaine with the intent to distribute.

Ortiz–Iribe, Perez–Perez, and Perez–Hernandez are also charged with being illegal aliens in possession of firearms.

Perez–Perez and Perez–Hernandez are also charged with illegally reentering the United States after having been deported.

Almeida–Perez, Ortiz–Iribe, Monjardin–Araujo, Martinez, Perez–Perez, Salcedo–Baez, Tavizon–Nunez, Ortiz–Miranda, Campos–Medina, Renteriaj, Angulo–Sandoval, Castro–Rojo, Sandoval, Marrufo–Rutiaga and Gonzalez–Mendoza are also charged with using a telephone to facilitate the distribution of methamphetamine.

The indictment also contains a forfeiture allegation, which would require the defendants to forfeit to the government $1,070,000, which was allegedly received in exchange for the unlawful distribution of methamphetamine. According to the indictment, that money judgment is based on the distribution of 15 kilograms or more of methamphetamine with an estimated street price of $2,000 per ounce.

The forfeiture allegation would also require Castro–Rojo to forfeit $32,490, Angul–Sandoval to forfeit $3,236 and Tavizon–Nunez to forfeit $28,140, all of which was seized by law enforcement officers and allegedly was proceeds of the drug–trafficking conspiracy.

Phillips cautioned that the charges contained in this indictment are simply accusations, and not evidence of guilt. Evidence supporting the charges must be presented to a federal trial jury, whose duty is to determine guilt or innocence.

This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Joseph M. Marquez. It was investigated by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), the Jackson County Drug Task Force, the Kansas City, Mo., Police Department, the Missouri State Highway Patrol, the Kansas State Highway Patrol and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.