A locked padlock As of Thursday afternoon, 17 of the 23 defendants -- all identified as San Diego residents ranging in age from 23 to 60 -- were in federal or state custody, with a dozen of the defendants arrested this week. The members of law enforcement at the news conference were flanked by two tables bristling with firearms of all types, as well as boxes at their feet bearing more weapons. Specifically, on June 8, 2021, a federal grand jury indictment resulting from the sting operation was unsealed in San Diego. Lock The FBIs Inland Empire Safe Streets Task Force investigated this matter. California has seen a marked increase in underground gambling dens, sometimes known as slaphouses, in recent years. The trio was tortured for about two hours before being killed, according to the Baja California Attorney Generals Office. Help us grow with a monthly contribution. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Copyright 2023 Nexstar Media Inc. All rights reserved. news, guides, reviews and information since 1995. Learn more about how we use cookies in our cookie policy. Four defendants are fugitives. The CJNGs rapid expansion of its drug trafficking activities is characterized by the groups willingness to engage in violent confrontations with Mexican government security forces and rival cartels, according to the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administrations most recent National Drug Threat Assessment report. In all, 44 firearms, more than 12 pounds of methamphetamine, $263,000 in cash, and 640 gambling machines were seized during the two-year investigation. Please look at the time stamp on the story to see when it was last updated. Its rare to have a patron who does not use or sell methamphetamine inside these locations., We have taken down the illegal gambling dens, and we have lifted a weight off our neighborhoods, said Acting US Attorney Randy Grossman. However, surveillance, phone records, financial documents, undercover agents and wiretaps were utilized to track the defendants communications and locations, according to the U.S. Attorneys Office. - A Jefferson City, Mo., man was sentenced in federal court today for illegally possessing a firearm and methamphetamine to distribute. California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation, San Diego County District Attorneys Office. Authorities also seized methamphetamine, heroin and firearms as part of the investigation. Early this morning, more than 450 members of the FBI Violent Crimes Task Force - Gang Group, the San Diego Police Department and many other law enforcement agencies made 35 arrests and searched 24 locations, mostly illegal gambling dens in East San Diego neighborhoods. California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation, San Diego County District Attorneys Office, Southern District of California U.S. Attorney's Office, Southern District of California, Forty-Seven Defendants Charged in Illegal Gambling and Drug Indictments, San Diego Resident Sentenced to 15 Years for His Role in Fatal Fentanyl Overdose, Defendant Sentenced to 10 Years in Case Featured on HBO Documentary The Crime of the Century, Mexican National Sentenced to 108 Months Following Record-Breaking Seizure of Fentanyl and Meth, Forty Seven Defendants Charged In Illegal Gambling and Drug Indictments. Dont buy a teeth whitening gel before reading these reviews. That is, until today.". Maximum Penalties: For Maintaining Drug Involved Premises Charges: Five years imprisonment and a $500,000 fine. Herrera, known by the Spanish moniker El Caimn, which translates to The Alligator, was arrested in Mexico in 2019 with his former beauty-queen girlfriend aboard a bus in the city of Quertaro. A locked padlock Acting United States Attorney for the Southern District of California Randy Grossman was joined at 2 p.m. by officials from the DEA, IRS, San Diego County Sheriff's Department and others for a news conference, which was held at the DEA's office on Viewridge Avenue. Maximum Penalties: For the drug charges: Life in prison with a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years and a $10 million fine. The defendants are charged with conspiracy, operating illegal gambling businesses, maintaining drug involved premises, possession of methamphetamine with intent to distribute, distribution of methamphetamine, importation of methamphetamine, felon in possession of firearm and felon in possession of ammunition. Los Cabos also frequently targeted law enforcement in Tijuana and are accused of killing at least three police officers, according to prosecutors. Agents and officers from the FBI Violent Crimes Task Force-Gang Group, San Diego Police Department, San Diego Sherriffs Department, National City Police Department, Chula Vista Police Department, the Federal Bureau of Prisons, San Diego County Probation and the San Diego County District Attorneys Office collaborated on this investigation. Grossman described Operation Crystal Shielf as a "multi-jurisdictional investigation targeting a sophisticated San Diego-based network used by the Sinaloa Cartel to distribute methamphetamine throughout the United States and to smuggle drug proceeds back into Southern California.". Prosecutors say the defendants used services like Signal and WhatsApp to communicate with each other in order to avoid law enforcement detection. Many of the defendants are documented members or associates of violent South Bay street gangs operating out of National City, San Ysidro, and elsewhere. This yearlong investigation involved federal wiretaps, dozens of undercover drug and gun buys and extensive surveillance. Our free newsletter is delivered at 8 a.m. daily. In May 2020, another co-conspirator allegedly attempted to drive a load of 90.4 pounds (41 kilograms) of methamphetamine into the United States from Mexico through the San Ysidro port of entry. There was an error and we couldn't process your subscription. The drug-trafficking organization, known by its Spanish initials CJNG, has risen in influence in recent years and has been battling the more entrenched Sinaloa Cartel for control of the lucrative Tijuana-San Diego smuggling route. We are committed to dismantling violent gangs and holding their members accountable for criminal conduct., The FBI is proud to work alongside our local, state, and federal partners on the Violent Crimes Task Force to address the gang problem and rid our streets of the overflow of drugs and guns which continue to plague our communities, said FBI Special Agent in Charge Suzanne Turner. To protect their illegal operations, the defendants used encrypted communications services to communicate with each other. According to a search warrant affidavit, the investigation into the network dubbed Operation Crystal Hydra began in the spring of 2020. MCC San Diego is a prison complex that contains An administrative security metropolitan correctional center. Authorities have also seized drugs, cash and guns in connection with the investigation. Possession with Intent to Distribute (Title 21, U.S.C., Sec. Harvey, 54, of Riverside, purchased methamphetamine from their suppliers in Mexico as well as Los Angeles and Riverside counties. ) or https:// means youve safely connected to the .gov website. A lock () or https:// means you've safely connected to the .gov website. Some of that violence was aimed at three teenagers on Nov. 24, 2018. Acting U.S. Attorney Randy S. Grossman noted that gangs, drugs and illegal firearms have infested many of our neighborhoods, which creates a violent culture that is unsafe for residents.. The crackdown announced today is the latest in a series of efforts by the Department of Justice to turn the tide of the opioid epidemic and reduce the inevitable violent crime that accompanies widespread drug trafficking. A locked padlock Most locations of these establishments are open 24 hours a day, seven days a week. 952, 960 and 963; Possession with Intent to Distribute Heroin, in violation of Title 21, U.S.C., Sec. 808 UNION STREET SAN DIEGO, CA, 92101. 841(a)(1)). The CJNG is considered the most dangerous, well-armed and fastest-growing cartel in Mexico. Officials also announced seizures of more than 220 pounds of meth and other drugs, 90 firearms and more than $250,000 in cash. Toll Free (800) 544-1106 TTY: (619) 557-3450. Three other defendants were already in federal or state custody on unrelated charges, and federal prosecutors will seek to have them brought into federal court. Federal Office Building lawyer found dead in Mexico speaks, O.C. 952 & 960). The U.S. Attorneys Office reported that 44 of the 60 defendants were in custody as of Tuesday, with dozens of defendants arrested over the past month in five states. The main draw to illegal gambling establishments is methamphetamine use and sales, according to the indictments. The investigative work led by the Violent Crimes Task Force and the arrests made have created a safer environment for all of our communities., This joint operation is a prime example of what can be accomplished when law enforcement works together to respond to community concerns over increased crime in their neighborhoods, said San Diego County District Attorney Summer Stephan. Grossman said law enforcement has seized more than 200 pounds of methamphetamine, 90 firearms and more than $200,000 during the investigation. Toll Free (800) 544-1106 We'll send you the top local news stories every morning at 8 a.m. By clicking subscribe, you agree to share your email address with Times of San Diego to receive our free newsletter and breaking news alerts. DEFENDANTS Case Number: 21CR1411-DMS, DEFENDANT Case Number: 21CR1412-DMS, DEFENDANTS Case Number: 21CR1413-DMS, DEFENDANTS Case Number: 21CR1414-DMS. Mexican authorities have not released further details about the case, including why the teens might have been targeted. According to court documents and statements made in court, in April and May 2021, Corson sold quantities of methamphetamine and. 12.06. . So far, 44 of the 60 defendants are already in state or federal custody, the prosecutor said. Juan Manuel Alvarez-Inzunza, 39, was indicted by a federal grand jury in 2015, and charged with conspiracy to launder monetary instruments and conspiracy to import and distribute cocaine and methamphetamine. San Diego County residents face federal charges in . "From the evidence gathered in this case, the IRS and our law-enforcement partners were able to identify the mechanics of the money-laundering organization," Korner said at the news conference. Our team of experts has selected the best teeth whitening gel out of hundreds of options. Also arrested were alleged drug dealers who operated within the dens. This prosecution is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) investigation. Christopher Alexis Gomez, 17, and Juan Suarez-Ojeda, 18, both U.S. citizens from San Diego, and Angel Said Robles, 17, of Tijuana were in a Tijuana apartment when a group of people burst in. Assistant United States Attorney Robert S. Trisotto of the Riverside Branch Office is prosecuting this case. This serves as another example of what happens when you bring together dedicated law enforcement professionals using a comprehensive approach to detect, disrupt, and dismantle these criminal operations., Numerous crimes have been linked to the illegal gambling operations, said SDPD Chief David Nisleit. SAN DIEGO Eleven federal indictments unsealed in San Diego today charge twenty-three documented gang members and associates with heroin, methamphetamine and firearms trafficking. Our free newsletter is delivered at 8 a.m. daily. 12.23.2022. Maximum Penalties: For Distribution of Methamphetamine Charges: Forty years imprisonment with a mandatory minimum sentence of five years and a $5 million fine. The governments case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. The defendants arrested today are expected to make their initial appearances this afternoon in the United States District Court in Riverside and downtown Los Angeles. . Maximum Penalties: For Possession with Intent to Distribute and Distribution of Methamphetamine Charges: Forty years imprisonment with a mandatory minimum sentence of five years and a $5 million fine. We have taken down the illegal gambling dens, and we have lifted a weight off our neighborhoods, said Acting U.S. Attorney Randy Grossman. In all, 44 firearms, more than 12 pounds of methamphetamine, $263,000 in cash, and 640 gambling machines were seized during the culmination of a two-year investigation. According to the indictment returned on May 5 and unsealed today, from April to August 2020, lead defendants Timoteo Gomez, 48, of Riverside, and Javier Rodriguez, a.k.a. Secure .gov websites use HTTPS No Thanks The indictment details the conspirators efforts in April 2020 to smuggle 46.6 pounds (21.2 kilograms) of methamphetamine from Mexico across the U.S port of entry at Calexico and into Riverside County. The "massive" San Diego network moved "tons" of meth around the nation, including to Hawaii, Arizona, Texas, Kansas, Iowa, Michigan, Minnesota, New York, New Jersey, Massachusetts, as well as to Australia and New Zealand, Grossman said. 17 Suspected Gang Members in Custody Following Federal Probe into Drug, Gun Trafficking, Operation Devils Den: Escondido Gang Probe Leads to 21 Arrests, 113 Guns Held, Police Send Results of Probe into Rape Allegations Against SDSU Football Players to District Attorney, Four Suspected of Operating Illicit Massage Businesses, Including Ex-San Diego Vice Cop, Opinion: Three Ways that California Can Prepare for Future Atmospheric Rivers, Sister-in-Law of Missing Chula Vista Woman Testifies at Millete Hearing, San Diego State University Launches Online Cyber Tech Academy, Husband-and-Wife Team to Star in Disney on Ice in San Diego, San Diego Foundation: $3.5 Million in Scholarships Available, Santee YMCA Closing Early, Fearing Rally Clashes Over Teen's Report, Trans Rights, Opinion: SunbreakRanchIs the Answer to San Diego -- and Americas -- Homeless Crisis, Opinion: Latest Chargers Loss a Reminder of Why San Diego Fans Let Them Leave, Family of 6, Including New Baby, Dead in Drug Cartel Massacre in Central Valley, San Diego Police Shoot, Kill Man, 77, Sought in Younger Woman's Fatal Stabbing, Parcels Near Cal State San Marcos Sold for Nearly $6M in Area Slated for Redevelopment, Fundraiser for Former San Diego Police Officer Darnell Calhoun Passes $150K, Heavy Rain Runoff and Sewage Spills Close Beaches Across San Diego Area, Three More Arrests Made in Alleged Large-Scale Theft, Robbery Ring, California Braces for Last 2 'Atmospheric River' Storms Amid Hopes for Drought to Ease, Proudly powered by Newspack by Automattic. Alexander Michael Randise, 29, pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court last year to a fentanyl distribution charge, stemming from the December 2021 death of Tyber Joseph Lustig, U.S. District Court Judge Larry Burns ruled the 2021 law did not violate gun owners rights under the Second Amendment, Preliminary hearing of Larry Millete, who has pleaded not guilty to murdering his missing wife Maya Millete, could run two weeks or longer. June 15, 2021 4:10 PM PT Four men alleged to be leaders in a Mexican cartel enforcement cell have been indicted in San Diego on drug-trafficking charges and are accused of orchestrating a. Gangs, drugs, and illegal firearms are infesting many of our neighborhoods and creating a violent culture that is unsafe for residents, said Acting U.S. Attorney Randy S. Grossman. Edgar Herrera Pardo oversaw a group of enforcers called Los Cabos who worked to secure the Baja California corridor for the Jalisco New Generation Cartel, according to prosecutors. "They're also supplying a deadly stream of methamphetamine and other deadly drugs. Official websites use .gov An indictment contains allegations that a defendant has committed a crime. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten the United States by using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks. Conspiracy to Distribute Methamphetamine, in violation of Title 21, U.S.C., Secs. SAN DIEGO Federal authorities unsealed indictments Thursday against 85 alleged members of East San Diego County drug distribution and money laundering networks linked to the Sinaloa Cartel, with more than half of the defendants currently in custody. ) A San Diego man who killed his boyfriend by stabbing him 93 times was sentenced today to life in federal prison, announced U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Texas Leigha Simonton. Alexander Yoichi Duberek, 25, was indicted in September 2021. 619-232-4311. A .gov website belongs to an official government organization in the United States. An official website of the United States government. Maximum Penalties: For Felon in Possession of Firearm Charge: Ten years imprisonment and a $250,000 fine. A grand jury indictment was unsealed Tuesday charging 60 alleged members of a San Diego-based methamphetamine distribution network with ties to the Sinaloa cartel with federal drug. Grossman also praised Assistant U.S. Lock 856(a)(1)), Distribution of Methamphetamine (Title 21, U.S.C., Sec. Criminal Records and Contact Info aggregated from real law enforcement agencies and government court houses. 1998 - 2023 Nexstar Media Inc. | All Rights Reserved. ", "San Diego is one of nine major transportation-hub cities identified under DEA's Operation Crystal Shield," said John Callery, Special Agent in Charge of DEAs San Diego Field Division. *KAREN RENE ANN PRANGSAMPHAN- PORTER (10), Conspiracy (Title 18, U.S.C., Sec. It is common for employees to hand out small amounts of methamphetamine and comp customers to keep them playing and coming back for more, reads the warrant. 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