Thirteen Individuals Charged with Drug Trafficking

United States Attorney John E. Murphy announced that on November 23, 2009, a federal grand jury sitting in the El Paso Division of the Western District of Texas, charged by indictment 13 individuals with two counts of conspiring to traffic in illegal drugs. Count One alleges that between June 4, 2008  and November 24, 2009, the defendants possessed with the intent to distribute 500 grams or more of cocaine. The individuals charged in Count One include: EYITAYO ARAROMI, aka "Tay;” ONLANIYI ARAROMI, aka "Ruger; " BRIAN HAIRSTON, aka “Little B;” JANISE JONES, aka "Juice;" TYREKE EWON DOW, aka “Reke;” DAVID KIPPER, aka “Kip;” EFFIE BROWN; SEAN HOWARD; WAYNE SVEDE; TORIS KNIGHT; CLARABELL ESCAMILLA; TYRECE HEDGEMOND; and MAURICE WINDFIELD. Count One carries a penalty range of not less than five nor more than 40 years in prison, a two million dollar fine, and at least four years of supervised release. Count Two alleges that during that same time period, the defendants EYITAYO ARAROMI and MAURICE WINDFIELD possessed with the intent to distribute an illegal narcotic substance commonly know as Ecstacy. Count Two carries a penalty range of up to 20 years in prison, a one million dollar fine, and at least three years of supervised release. EYITAYO ARAROMI was arrested on November 24, 2009 and will attend an initial appearance before U.S. Magistrate Judge McDonald today. The other defendants were arrested this morning, with the exception of ONLANIYI ARAROMI and TYREKE EWON DOW, who remain fugitives. Initial appearances have not been set for them at this time.

This investigation is being conducted jointly by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the El Paso Police Department, the El Paso County Sheriff's Office, the Texas Department of Public Safety, and the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms. Assistant United  States Attorney Steven Spitzer is prosecuting this case on behalf of the government.

An indictment is a formal accusation of criminal conduct, not evidence of guilt. The defendants are presumed innocent unless and until convicted through due process of law.