“Operation Hog Wild” Leads to Indictment of 25 Individuals

LITTLE ROCK—Jane W. Duke, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Arkansas; along with Valerie Parlave, Special Agent in Charge of the Little Rock District Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI); William J. Bryant, Assistant Special Agent in Charge of the Little Rock District Office of the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA); Clifton Massanelli, United States Marshal; Stevan Dalrymple, Prosecuting Attorney for Jefferson County; Gerald Robinson, Jefferson County Sheriff; and Brenda Jones Pine Bluff Police Chief announced today a sweep of arrests in Jefferson and Pulaski Counties stemming from 18 indictments involving drugs and firearms offenses. The indictments returned by a federal grand jury last week, remained under seal until today’s arrests. The 18 indictments stemming from Operation Hog Wild, charge 25 defendants with various federal firearm and illegal narcotics related charges. As of today, 18 defendants are in custody.

Since March 2009, the Tri-County Drug Task Force which includes the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office and the Pine Bluff Police Department Vice and Narcotics squad opened an OCDETF Operation co-sponsored by the FBI and DEA. Investigators targeted the largest narcotics distributors (cocaine, crack cocaine, marijuana and ecstasy) operating in Jefferson County including those in surrounding states who have ties to Pine Bluff. Additionally, the most violent felons in the Pine Bluff area who were known to carry firearms were a focus of the investigation.

Today’s Operation Hog Wild round-up was conducted by the United States Marshals Service, FBI, DEA, Arkansas State Police, the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office, Pine Bluff Police Department and the Little Rock Police Department. Arrests were made this morning in Arkansas and Texas. Those taken into custody will appear before United States Magistrate Judge Jerome K. Kearney for plea and arraignment on either September 14, 2010, at 2:00 p.m., September 21, 2010 or September 30, 2010. Some of the defendants who were not a part of today’s round-up are currently incarcerated for other federal and state charges.

“Like Pine Bluff, there are many communities across this District that have witnessed an steep rise in violent crime and drug trafficking activity over the last several years,” stated Duke. “When one considers the budgetary, resource, and other constraints under which these local law enforcement agencies are now operating, the need to police more strategically becomes obvious. Operation Hog Wild represents a shining example of such an effort by the Tri-County Drug Task Force. Officers from this task force saw an alarming problem in their community and worked aggressively with their federal, state, and local partners to define the scope of the problem and to systematically and efficiently address that problem through coordinated law enforcement action. The United States Attorney’s Office is proud to be a part of this effort.”

SAC Parlave concurred stating, “Through the combined efforts of local, state, and federal law enforcement and prosecutors, this violent criminal enterprise has been disrupted. Violence and drugs have a devastating effect on our communities and we will continue to work with our partners to make Arkansas a safer place.”

“This operation was a textbook example of true multi-agency federal, state, and local coordination,” added ASAC Bryant.

Sheriff Gerald Robinson of the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office stated, “The Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office and the Tri-County Drug Task Force sought the assistance of federal authorities to combat the violent crime and drug trade associations in our area. This has been extremely helpful in our battle against the repeat criminal offenders who plague our county.”

This investigation is designated as a Project Safe Neighborhoods firearms initiative case. Project Safe Neighborhoods is a federal initiative aimed at reducing gun crime by networking local prosecutors and law enforcement with federal counterparts. Those prosecuted under federal statutes serve longer sentences partly due to the fact that there is no parole in the federal system. For more information regarding Project Safe Neighborhoods, visit www.psn.gov.

This investigation is also designated as an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force case. The investigation was conducted by the FBI, DEA, Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office, the Tri-County Drug Task Force, and Jefferson County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Edward Walker.

An indictment contains only allegations. The defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.

Conspiracy to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute more than 208 grams of a mixture containing cocaine base or more than five kilograms of cocaine, carries a possible punishment of no less than 10 years and up to life imprisonment, and a fine of up to $4 million.

Distribution and possession with intent to distribute at least 28 grams of a mixture containing cocaine base or more than 500 grams of cocaine carries a possible punishment of no less than five years, and up to 40 years' imprisonment, and a fine of up to $2 million; and distribution of the Schedule I controlled substance, referred to as ‘mimic ecstacy’, has a possible punishment of up to 20 years' imprisonment, and a fine of up to $1 million; and for distribution quantities of less than 28 grams of a mixture containing cocaine base or less than 500 grams of cocaine carries the possible punishment of up to 20 years' imprisonment, and a fine of up to $1 million. The distribution of marijuana as charged carries a punishment of up five years' imprisonment and a fine of up to $250,00.000.

The possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime carries a possible punishment of no less than five years and up to life imprisonment, and up to a $250,000 fine.

Possession of a firearm by a felon carries a possible punishment of not more than 10 years' imprisonment, and up to a $250,000 fine, unless the defendant has three previous convictions for a violent felony or serious drug offense, in which case, the possible punishment is not less than 15 years, and up to life imprisonment, and up to a $250,000 fine.

An indictment contains only allegations. Each defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.