Six Additional Persons Indicted by Federal Grand Jury in Drug Trafficking and Money Laundering Conspiracy
| U.S. Attorney’s Office March 30, 2011 |
ANCHORAGE—Acting United States Attorney Kevin Feldis announced today that six additional people have been indicted by a federal grand jury in Anchorage in a felony drug trafficking and money laundering case stemming from a conspiracy that operated between Southern California and Alaska from 2007, until February of 2011. A total of 15 people who are either Alaska or California residents are now charged in the case.
Named as defendants in an indictment returned last month were Anchorage residents Jose Manuel Noyola-Martinez, also known as “Scooby,” 30; Jonathan Manuel Santana, also known as “Flip,” 25; and Carlos Olivares, 39. In addition, California residents Adan E. Barragan, also known as “Lalo,” 27; Antonio Loera Isidro, also known as “Tomato,” 24; Jair Rios Romero, also known as “Goofy,” 26; Armando Montano-Morales, 38; Albaro Rivera Garcia, also known as “The Dude,” 26; and Juan Carlos Rubio-Maldanado, 27, were charged.
Added as defendants in the indictment returned by the federal grand jury this month are Anchorage residents Richard J. Lose, also known as “El Toro” or “The Bull,” 26; Steven J. Hanson, 50; and Derland M. George, also known as “Yogi,” 26. In addition, Ines Gutierrez Gaspar, also known as “El Camaron” or “The Shrimp,” 48, a resident of Palmdale, California; Panfilo Morales Gonzalez, 56, a resident of Lamont, California; and Antonio Cardenas Perez, also known as “Perico,” 57, a resident of Arleta, California, are also now charged in the case.
The indictment returned by the grand jury charges the defendants with participation in a drug distribution conspiracy involving methamphetamine, cocaine, and marijuana, sent to Alaska from California, and a separate money laundering conspiracy involving the proceeds of the drug trafficking activity in Alaska transferred back to California through financial transactions.
In addition to the drug trafficking and money laundering charges, the indictment includes criminal forfeiture allegations relating to almost $262,000.00 in cash seized by law enforcement officers in Anchorage, and approximately another $720,000.00 which was laundered back to California as proceeds from the distribution of the drugs in Alaska.
Organized Crime and Drug Enforcement Task Force Attorneys Stephan Collins, Joseph Bottini, and Yvonne Lamoureux, who presented the case to the grand jury, indicated that the law provides for a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years up to life in prison as well as fines totaling up to $4 million and a life term of supervised release following service of a prison sentence. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed will be based upon the seriousness of the offenses and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendants.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation Safe Streets Task Force, the Anchorage Police Department, the Internal Revenue Service - Criminal Investigations, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and Homeland Security Investigations conducted the investigation leading to the indictment in this case.
An indictment is only a charge and is not evidence of guilt. A defendant is presumed innocent and is entitled to a fair trial at which the government must prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.