United States Attorney Richard B. Roper
Northern District of Texas

AMARILLO RESIDENTS CONVICTED IN
METHAMPHETAMINE CONSPIRACY SENTENCED

AMARILLO, Texas. — At a series of hearings held this week in U.S. District Court in Amarillo, 21 defendants, convicted earlier this year in a large methamphetamine distribution conspiracy, were sentenced by U.S. District Judge Mary Lou Robinson, announced U.S. Attorney Richard B. Roper of the Northern District of Texas.

Lead defendant Sitthiphone Phengsengkham, a/k/a “Teddy Phengsengkham,” 29, was sentenced to 293 months (more than 24 years) in prison. His brother Itthison Phengsengkham, a/k/a “Eddy Phengsengkham,” 35, was sentenced to life in prison. Each was convicted at trial in August of one count of conspiracy to commit a drug offense and one count of money laundering conspiracy.

Other defendants in the case, who pled guilty to their role in the elaborate methamphetamine organization, were sentenced as follows:

Thongfoth Phengsengkham, 28 months in prison
Pathounpone Phengsengkham, 14 months in prison
Tina Phengsengkham Agan, 3 years probation and a $500 fine
Michael Cuellar, 3 years probation and a $1500 fine
James Brewer, 86 months in prison
Eddie Cramer, 84 months in prison
Roland Boswell, 190 months in prison
Terry Hickman, 87 months in prison
Jeremy Thorn, 48 months in prison
Jennifer Denise Collins, 27 months in prison
Mike Arnold, 30 months in prison
Robert Peterson, 50 months in prison
Richard Oeader, 48 months in prison
Charles Melear, 71 months in prison
Tommy Tomlin, 87 months in prison
Leora Romera, 90 months in prison
Charles Wayne Mestas, 48 months in prison
Richard Bermea, 76 months in prison
Pam Vanhxay Ou, 6 months in prison
Tuan Anh Tran, 48 months in prison

During the trial of Sitthiphone Phengsengkham, Ittison Phengsengkham and Tuan Anh Tran, the government presented evidence that from January 1, 2004 to February 15, 2007, the defendants conspired together to conduct financial transactions involving illegal drug proceeds in order to arrange for, and facilitate the ongoing purchase, storage, transportation, sale and distribution of controlled substances, the ongoing distribution of currency derived from this illegal activity, and the concealment and disguise of the nature, location, source, ownership, and control of the illegal drug proceeds.

A total of 24 defendants were charged in this case, U.S. v. Sitthiphone Phengsengkham, a/k/a “Teddy Phengsengkham,” et al. Charges were dismissed against Robert Cash Richardson and defendant Stephanie Feng Tran was acquitted at trial. Many of the defendants in this case were arrested in an early-morning round up on February 15, 2007, which was the culmination of an investigation that began several years ago. The Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) Office in Amarillo, as well as the Potter County Sheriff’s Office, the Randall County Sheriff’s Office, the OdamCounty Sheriff’s Office, the Amarillo Police Department and the Texas Department of Public Safety, worked undercover in a joint effort to arrest major drug distributors. During the course of the investigation, approximately 14 pounds of methampheta-mine, with an estimated street value of more than $700,000, was seized, along with more than $300,000 in U.S. currency and various firearms.

The government presented evidence at trial that co-defendants in the case, Thongfoth and Pathoupone Phengsengkham, the parents of Eddy and Teddy Phengsengkham, owned a motel where the drug organization was headquartered. They pled guilty shortly before trial.

U.S. Attorney Roper praised the investigative efforts of the DEA, the Potter County Sheriff’s Office, the Randall County Sheriff’s Office, the Oldham County Sheriff’s Office, the Amarillo Police Department and the Texas Department of Public Safety. Assistant U.S. Attorney Vicki Lamberson of the Amarillo, Texas, U.S. Attorney’s Office prosecuted the case.

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