Trainer Caught Up in
Drug Busts
Federal Indictment Charges 15 Men from
New Mexico with Drug Trafficking and
Financial Crimes
January 28, 2012 — Federal authorities said Friday they've taken
down two major drug trafficking and money laundering operations in
different parts of New Mexico. Agents have seized caches of drugs,
cars, cash, guns and even a tractor from a pecan growing operation
near the New Mexico-Texas border.
Federal officials said both busts will make communities safer and
help with the effort to shut down distribution networks that funnel
marijuana, cocaine and methamphetamines throughout New Mexico and
from Mexico to other locations in the United States.Those
arrested include Steve Chavez, 32, a fireman with the Albuquerque
Fire Department. Two other defendants, Jesus Ramos Castillo, 29, and
Gabriel Guerra-Gonzalez, 27, both Mexican nationals, are in state
custody on pending local charges; they will be transferred to
federal custody to face the charges in the indictment. The
defendants arrested yesterday are scheduled to make their initial
appearances in federal court in Albuquerque this morning.
Four defendants, Homero Varela, 29, Manuel Villa-Mayorquin, 23, and
Procoro Noberto-Alvarez, 28, Mexican nationals, and Ramon Gonzalez,
Jr., 25, of Edgewood, have yet to be arrested and are considered
fugitives.
The indictment alleges that, between May 2011 and January 2012, all
15 defendants participated in a conspiracy to distribute controlled
substances, including cocaine, methamphetamine and marijuana. Each
defendant also is charged with using communication devices to
facilitate drug trafficking crimes (sometimes referred to as “phone
counts”), and Homero Varela is charged with distributing
methamphetamine on three separate occasions over a three month
period. The maximum penalties for a conviction on the conspiracy
charge and each of the three methamphetamine distribution charges is
a minimum 10 years’ to a maximum of life imprisonment and a $10
million fine, and the maximum penalty for a conviction on each of
the phone counts is four years of imprisonment and a $250,000 fine.
The indictment also charges Homero Varela, Roy Madrid, 21, of
Albuquerque, and Manuel Villa-Mayorquin with conspiracy to launder
money. Homero Varela is further charged with an additional count of
money laundering involving drug proceeds. A conviction on the money
laundering conspiracy carries a maximum penalty of 20 years of
imprisonment, and a conviction on the substantive money laundering
charge carries a maximum penalty of ten years of imprisonment and a
$250,000 fine.
Ramon Gonzalez, Jr., is charged with seven counts of structuring
financial transactions to avoid certain reporting requirements for
an aggregate of $166,300 through 24 transactions between April 2009
and August 2011. Steve Chavez is charged with structuring an
aggregate of $348,500 in 37 transactions between July 1, 2011 and
August 25, 2011. The maximum penalty for a conviction on each of
these counts is five years of imprisonment and a $250,000 fine.
The indictment also seeks forfeiture of property constituting, or
derived from proceeds obtained directly, or indirectly, from the
defendants’ illegal drug trafficking and financial crimes, including
three Albuquerque residences owned, occupied or in the possession of
Homero Varela, Ramon Gonzalez, Sr., and Steve Chavez, respectively,
and a ranch in Edgewood owned by Ramon Gonzalez, Sr. It also seeks
forfeiture of funds in numerous bank accounts in the names of Homero
Varela, Ramon Gonzales, Sr., Ramon Gonzalez, Jr., Andres Gonzalez
and Steve Chavez, as well as a money judgment of at least
$15,000,000, the amount of money allegedly derived or involved in
the offenses alleged in the indictment.
During yesterday’s law enforcement operation, officers seized a half
kilogram of cocaine, more than 10 pounds of high grade marijuana,
approximately $25,000 in cash, 20 vehicles, seven handguns, nine
rifles, and two shotguns.
In announcing yesterday’s arrests, U.S. Attorney Gonzales said, “The
charges in this indictment are some of the most significant drug and
money laundering charges ever filed in the District of New Mexico.
The investigation that led to this indictment exemplifies the law
enforcement cooperation that we are fortunate to experience here in
New Mexico. Federal, state and local officers worked long and hard
and side-by-side in a coordinated effort to arrest numerous
individuals charged in the indictment. We owe a debt of gratitude to
everyone involved in the investigation. Their efforts have made our
streets and communities much safer.”
“The Varela organization has been responsible for distributing
multi-kilogram quantities of cocaine, marijuana, and methamphetamine
in central and north central New Mexico,” said DEA Special Agent in
Charge Arabit. “DEA and our federal, state, county, and municipal
law enforcement partners have worked hand-in-hand to disrupt this
organization from its roots, culminating in the indictment of 15 of
its members of which 11 are in custody and the seizure of their
drugs and assets, including 20 vehicles, 18 weapons, cash, and real
property. Through these enforcement actions, we are making our
communities safer.”
“These significant investigations and arrests would not have been
possible without the joint efforts of the Organized Crime Drug
Enforcement Task Force, led by the DEA, the FBI’s Safe Streets Task
Forces in Albuquerque and Las Cruces, the U.S. Attorney’s Office and
numerous other local, state and federal law enforcement agencies
throughout the region, said FBI Special Agent in Charge Lee. “We all
share the same goal: stop criminal enterprises that profit from the
illegal trade of dangerous drugs and take away any financial benefit
they receive from their crimes. The Albuquerque FBI will continue to
collaborate with our law enforcement and community partners to rid
our rural and urban areas of drug traffickers and other criminals
and help make New Mexico and our nation a safer place to live.”
IRS Special Agent in Charge Mertz stated, “This indictment once
again reflects the successful merging of law enforcement personnel,
who work together through the task force, providing their specific
skills, with the common purpose of ferreting out potential nefarious
narcotics and related financial crimes. IRS Criminal Investigation
will continue to work alongside our law enforcement partners to
investigate those individuals who ignore the laws of our country for
financial gain.”
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Reeve
Swainston and Samuel L. Hurtado, and was investigated by DEA, FBI,
and IRS with support from the New Mexico State Police, the
Albuquerque Police Department, the El Paso County Sheriff’s Office,
and the Corrales Police Department. Homeland Security
Investigations, the U.S. Marshal’s Service, the U.S. Border Patrol,
the Bernalillo County Sheriff’s Office, the Air Branch of U.S.
Customs and Border Protection, the New Mexico Department of Public
Safety Motor Transportation Police Division, and the Region II HIDTA
Task Force participated in yesterday’s law enforcement operation.
FBI |
