WICHITA, KAN. – A Wichita man is charged with possession with intent to distribute more than a pound of methamphetamine, U.S. Attorney Barry Grissom said today.

Rafael Piceno, 50, Wichita, Kan., initially was charged in a criminal complaint filed March 2 in U.S. District Court in Wichita. The complaint alleges that a detective with the Wichita Police Department who was working undercover made a deal to buy a pound of crystal methamphetamine from Piceno for $16,000. When police served a search warrant at Picneo’s apartment in the 1800 block of South Bonn, they found one bag containing approximately a pound of crystal methamphetamine and another bag containing approximately a quarter pound of crystal methamphetamine.

If convicted, Piceno faces a penalty of not less than five years and not more than 40 years in federal prison. The Wichita Police Department investigated. Assistant U.S. Attorney David Lind is prosecuting.

OTHER INDICTMENTS

A grand jury meeting in Wichita, Kan., also returned the following indictments:

Madelene Lee, 39, Wichita, Kan., and LaSharica Dawn Ross, 30, are charged with one count each of theft of public funds. The indictment alleges Lee accepted funds from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services for child care services when in fact she did not provide the services. The indictment alleges Ross provided false and misleading documentation to support a request for funds from HHS that she was not entitled to receive.

If convicted, they face a maximum penalty of 10 years in federal prison and a fine up to $250,000. The HHS-OIG investigated. The U.S. Attorney’s office is prosecuting.

Lora M. Brown, 49, Independence, Kan., is charged with two counts of stealing mail while she was employed by the U.S. Postal service in Independence. The crimes are alleged to have occurred Nov. 5, 2011, and Dec. 5, 2011, in Montgomery County, Kan.

If convicted, she faces a maximum penalty of five years in federal prison and a fine up to $250,000 on each count. The U.S. Postal Service investigated. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jason Hart is prosecuting.

Kimberly J. Robertson, 46, Independence, Kan., is charged with one count of stealing mail while she was employed by the United States Postal Service in Coffeyville, Kan. The crime is alleged to have occurred Nov. 9, 2011, in Montgomery County, Kan.

If convicted, she faces a maximum penalty of five years in federal prison and a fine up to $250,000 on each count. The U.S. Postal Service investigated. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jason Hart is prosecuting.

Eric Moeder, 33, Ellis, Kan., is charged with one count of unlawful possession of a firearm after a felony conviction. The crime is alleged to have occurred Jan. 15, 2012, in Ellis County, Kan.

If convicted, he faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in federal prison and a fine up to $250,000. The Kansas Bureau of Investigation investigated. Assistant U.S. Attorney Matt Treaster is prosecuting.

Hung T. Dang, 41, is charged with one count of possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine, two counts of possession of marijuana, one count of possession of methamphetamine, one count of unlawful possession of a firearm after a felony conviction and one count of unlawful possession of a firearm by a user of controlled substances. The crimes are alleged to have occurred in February 2012 in Sedgwick County, Kan.

Upon conviction, the crimes carry the following penalties:
Possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine: Not less than five years and not more than 40 years in federal prison and a fine up to $5 million.
Possession of marijuana: Possession of methamphetamine: A maximum penalty of one year and a fine of not less than $1,000.
Possession of methamphetamine: A maximum penalty of one year and a fine of not less than $1,000.
Unlawful possession of a firearm after a felony conviction: A maximum penalty of 10 years and a fine up to $250,000.
Unlawful possession of a firearm by a user of controlled substances: A maximum penalty of 10 years and a fine up to $250,000.

The Wichita Police Department investigated. Assistant U.S. Attorney David Lind is prosecuting.

Jovany Lopez, 20, a citizen of Mexico, is charged with one count of possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine and one count of unlawful re-entry into the United States after being deported. The crimes are alleged to have occurred Feb. 3, 2012, in Sedgwick County, Kan.

If convicted he faces a penalty of not less than 10 years and not more than life in federal prison and a fine up to $4 million on the methamphetamine charge and a maximum penalty of two years without parole and a fine up to $250,000 on the immigration charge. The Wichita Police Department investigated. Assistant U.S. Attorney Brent Anderson is prosecuting.

Dexter Dewayne Baker, 34, Wichita, Kan., is charged with one count of possession with intent to distribute crack cocaine, one count of possession with intent to distribute cocaine, one count of unlawful possession of a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking, one count of unlawful possession of a firearm after a felony conviction, one count of unlawful possession of a firearm by a user of controlled substances, one count of unlawful possession of ammunition after a felony conviction and one count of unlawful possession of ammunition by a user of controlled substances. The crimes are alleged to have occurred March 17, 2012, in Sedgwick County, Kan.

Upon conviction, the crimes carry the following penalties:
Possession with intent to distribute crack cocaine: Not less than five years and not more than 40 years and a fine up to $5 million.
Possession with intent to distribute cocaine: A maximum penalty of 20 years and a fine up to $2 million.
Unlawful possession of a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking Not less than five years and a fine up to $250,000.
Unlawful possession of a firearm after a felony conviction: A maximum penalty of 10 years and a fine up to $250,000.
Unlawful possession of a firearm by a user of controlled substances: A maximum penalty of 10 years and a fine up to $250,000.
Unlawful possession of ammunition after a felony conviction: A maximum penalty of 10 years and a fine up to $250,000.
Unlawful possession of ammunition by a user of controlled substances: A maximum penalty of 10 years and a fine up to $250,000.

The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives investigated. Assistant U.S. Attorney Brent Anderson is prosecuting.

Nicholas Franklin Mathis, 42, Cleveland, Tennessee, is charged with of failing to register as a sex offender as required by federal law. The crime is alleged to have occurred from June 6, 2011, to March 14, 2012, in Shawnee County and elsewhere.

If convicted, he faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in federal prison and a fine up to $250,000. The United States Marshals Service investigated. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jason Hart is prosecuting.

Jeffrey S. Taylor, 32, Wichita, Kan., is charged with unlawful possession of a firearm after a felony conviction and one count of possession of methamphetamine. The crimes are alleged to have occurred Feb. 8, 2012, in Sedgwick County, Kan.

If convicted, he faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in federal prison and a fine up to $250,000 on the gun charge and a penalty of not more than a year and a fine of not less than $1,000 on the drug charge. The Sedgwick County Sheriff’s Office investigated. Assistant U.S. Attorney Blair Watson is prosecuting.

Oscar Aguyao-Melendez, 38, a citizen of Mexico, is charged with unlawfully re-entering the United States after being deported. He was found March 20, 2012, in Sedgwick County, Kan.

If convicted, he faces a maximum penalty of two years in federal prison without parole and a fine up to $250,000. ICE Enforcement and Removal Operations investigated. Assistant U.S. Attorney Blair Watson is prosecuting.

Hector Fernandez-Murillo, 34, a citizen of Mexico, is charged with is charged with unlawfully re-entering the United States after being deported. He was found March 21, 2012, in Sedgwick County, Kan.

If convicted, he faces a maximum penalty of two years in federal prison without parole and a fine up to $250,000. ICE Enforcement and Removal Operations investigated. Assistant U.S. Attorney Blair Watson is prosecuting

Carlos Daniel Morales, 39, a citizen of Mexico, is charged with is charged with unlawfully re-entering the United States after being deported. He was found Feb. 28, 2012, in Sedgwick County, Kan.

If convicted, he faces a maximum penalty of two years in federal prison without parole and a fine up to $250,000. ICE Enforcement and Removal Operations investigated. Assistant U.S. Attorney Blair Watson is prosecuting

In all cases, defendants are presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty. The indictments merely contain allegations of criminal conduct.

 

 

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