News Release
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
January 14, 2005

Local Drug Ring Facing Federal Charges

Today, the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) Sacramento Office and a California Bureau of Narcotic Enforcement sponsored task force known as the Placer Special Investigation Unit (Placer SIU) announced the culmination of a four month undercover probe of a local drug ring responsible for trafficking thousands of pills of MDMA (Ecstasy), and street level quantities of methamphetamine, crack cocaine, marijuana, Oxycontin, Vicodin and Soma.

The following persons were arrested on January 13, 2005: John Pok KIM, 26 years of age, of Sacramento; Randell SANTOS, 28 years of age, of Rancho Cordova; Nicholas Alexander STANLEY, 25 years of age, of Sacramento; and, Kae Chai SATEURN, 24 years of age, of Sacramento. Lina PAK, 22 years of age, of Sacramento was arrested by agents earlier today. All five suspects were arrested for violation of Federal drug trafficking statues. KIM, SANTOS , STANLEY and SATEURN had their initial appearance in federal court today. PAK awaits an initial appearance in Federal Court on January 18, 2005.

The investigation began in October 2004, when a Placer SIU undercover agent began negotiating with John Pok KIM for the purchase of Ecstasy. Shortly thereafter, DEA Sacramento agents joined in the investigation and over the next four months the undercover agent made ten undercover purchases of ecstasy, crack cocaine, methamphetamine, Oxycontin, Vicodin and Soma from KIM. Randell SANTOS, Nicholas Alexander STANLEY and Lina PAK assisted KIM with several of the undercover drug deals.

In early January 2005, KIM negotiated to sell the undercover agent 3,000 pills of ecstasy. The undercover agent agreed to meet KIM on Thursday, January 13, 2005 to consummate the deal. Meanwhile, the DEA obtained Federal arrest warrants for KIM and SANTOS.

On Thursday, January 13, 2005, KIM and his confederate, Nicholas STANLEY, met with the undercover agent in the Park and Ride lot on Taylor Road in Roseville, CA. After KIM showed the undercover agent 3,000 pills of ecstasy, agents moved in and placed KIM and STANLEY under arrest. KIM was in the possession of ecstasy, cocaine and marijuana at the time of his arrest.

Following the arrests of KIM and STANLEY, agents arrested Kae Chai SATEURN in the Home Depot parking lot at Folsom Road and Power Inn Road in Sacramento, not before SATEURN fled on foot and was quickly apprehended by the agents. SATEURN was connected with this drug ring and was in possession of an additional 3,000 pills of ecstasy, which was seized by agents at the time of his arrest. Agents also arrested Randell SANTOS for his involvement in this drug ring at his place of business in Rancho Cordova, CA.

On Thursday, January 13, 2005, agents served Federal search warrants at KIM’s residence in the 4300 block of Oxwood Drive, Sacramento, CA and at SANTOS’ residence in the 10000 block of Yukon River Way in Rancho Cordova. Additional ecstasy, marijuana, cocaine and a firearm were seized pursuant to those searches.

On January 14, 2005, agents arrested Lina PAK at her place of business in the 500 block of L Street in Sacramento for her involvement in this drug ring. Agents seized additional crystal methamphetamine from PAK’s vehicle upon her arrest.

Gordon Taylor, Agent in Charge of DEA’s Sacramento Office, said, “This drug ring maintained a veritable smorgasbord of drugs for sale, with ecstasy being their primary money maker. The seizures of ecstasy in this case are significant for this area. Ecstasy continues to be a threat to our youth and our communities. The DEA remains committed to working with local law enforcement to protect our neighborhoods from these types of drug trafficking groups.”

Taylor added, “Ecstasy gained notoriety in the 1990’s as the drug of choice at all-night rave parties. Although rave parties are not the rage anymore, ecstasy remains popular to teenagers and young adults.”

This four month undercover drug investigation resulted in the seizure of over 7,400 ecstasy pills and street level quantities of methamphetamine, marijuana, crack cocaine, Oxycontin, Vicodin, Soma, a firearm and one vehicle. This investigation was led by the DEA Sacramento Office and Placer Special Investigations Unit. Also assisting in the investigation were the Rocklin Police Department, Western Eldorado Narcotic Enforcement Team (WENET), and the Bureau of Immigration Customs Enforcement (ICE). The U.S. Attorney’s Office in Sacramento is prosecuting those arrested in connection with this investigation.

For additional information, please contact Gordon Taylor at (916) 416-7699.