News Release [print friendly page]
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Date: October 01, 2009
Contact: Diana Apodaca
Public Information Officer
915-832-6074

Six Arrested Based on Federal Drug Indictment
Returned in El Paso, TX

OCT 01 -- John E. Murphy , Acting United States Attorney, Special Agent in Charge Joseph M. Arabit of the Drug Enforcement Administration--El Paso Field Division and Special Agent in Charge Manuel Oyola-Torres of the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement Office of Investigations in El Paso announced today that federal, state and local authorities have arrested six individuals based on federal drug distribution charges.

Bernardo Favela, age 33 , of EI Paso. Favela is charged with two counts of conspiracy to possess with intent to distr i bute a controlled substance and five counts of possession with intent to distribute a controlled substance. Upon conviction, Favela faces between 20 y ears and life in federal prison.

Enrique Sifuentes, age 37, of EI Paso . Sifuentes is charged with two counts of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute a controlled substance and three counts of possession with intent to distribute a controlled substance . Upon conviction, Sifuentes faces between 20 years and life in federal prison .

Woodrow Chapman , age 32, of Kalamazoo, MI . Chapman is charged with one count of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute a controlled substance and one count of possession with intent to distribute a controlled substance. Upon conviction, Chapman faces between 20 years and life in federal prison .

Henry Davis , age 44, of Charleston, MO. Davis is charged with one count of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute a controlled substance and one count of possession with intent to distribute a controlled substance. Upon conviction, Davis faces between 20 y ears and life in federal prison .

Chedowry Thomas , age 33, of Charleston, MO. Thomas is charged with one count of conspiracy to possess w i th intent to distribute a controlled substance and one count of possession with intent to distribute a controlled substance. Upon conviction, Thomas faces between 20 years and life in federal prison.

Dontay Clark , age 25, of Charleston, MO. Clark is charged with one count of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute a controlled substance and one count of possession w ith intent to distribute a controlled substance. Upon conviction, Clark faces between 20 y ears and life in federal prison.

The seven-count indictment alleges that Favela, Sifuentes, Chapman, Davis, Thomas and Clark conspired between November 2008 and June 2009 to possess with intent to distribute more than five kilograms of cocaine. It also alleges that Favela and Sifuentes conspired between July 2008 and June 2009 to possess with intent to distribute more than 100 kilograms of marijuana.

This case resulted from a joint investigation by the Drug Enforcement Administration and U.S . Immigration and Customs Enforcement together with state and local authorities.

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.

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