United States Attorney Richard B. Roper
Northern District of Texas

FEDERAL JURY CONVICTS FORT WORTH MAN IN DRUG CONSPIRACY

Case Began With Crime Stoppers Tip and
Led to Seizure of $2 Million in Methamphetamine

FORT WORTH, Texas — Following a two-day trial before U.S. District Judge John McBryde, a federal jury has convicted Giovanni Teran, 19, on charges related to his involvement in a conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine from a drug house in Fort Worth, announced U.S. Attorney Richard B. Roper of the Northern District of Texas. Specifically, the jury convicted Teran on all three counts of a superseding indictment charging conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute 500 grams or more of methamphetamine, possession with intent to distribute 500 grams or more of methamphetamine, and maintaining a drug-involved premise. Teran faces a maximum statutory sentence of life in prison and an $8 million fine. He is scheduled to be sentenced on January 9, 2009.

At trial, the government presented considerable evidence that Teran and his co-defendant, Luis Alonzo Pena, were using a house located at 5928 Sidewinder Trail in north Fort Worth as part of a methamphetamine operation. The evidence demonstrated that law enforcement officers began the investigation of the house after receiving an anonymous Crime Stoppers tip. Officers went to the residence and conducted a “knock and talk.” They were greeted at the door by Pena, who gave officers consent to search the residence.

When the officers entered the house they immediately noticed a strong odor, which they knew, based on their training, was consistent with the manufacture of methamphetamine. Pena led officers to a marijuana pipe on the kitchen counter.

The officers then conducted an organized search of the house with the aid of other officers from the Fort Worth Police Department and special agents from the Drug Enforcement Administration. During the search, officers found over seven kilograms of crystalized methamphetamine that was nearly 100% pure and two pots of liquid methamphetamine that would have produced 8.8 kilograms of pure crystalized methamphetamine. Officers also found some methamphetamine that had been “cut.” Officers also located scales, a heat sealer, bags used for packaging, a cutting agent, and chemicals to be used in combining the methamphetamine with the cutting agent. The total value of the drugs in the house was just under $2 million. The officers involved in the case testified that this was one of the largest stashes of pure methamphetamine that they had ever seen in Tarrant County.

Teran was found hiding in the backyard of the house. Once he was brought inside the house, Teran admitted that a set of keys and a cell phone inside the house belonged to him. One of the keys on that key ring opened the front door of the house. The jury also heard evidence that Teran had been at the house a number of times in the months leading up to the search.

Co-defendant Luis Alonzo Pena pled guilty last week to all three counts of the superseding indictment and is also scheduled to be sentenced by Judge McBryde on January 9, 2009. He admitted that he conspired to possess the methamphetamine with the intent to distribute it and admitted that he actually possessed the methamphetamine found in the house on April 30, 2008. He also admitted that he used and maintained the house at 5928 Sidewinder Trail to produce and distribute methamphetamine.

U.S. Attorney Roper praised the excellent investigative efforts of the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Fort Worth Police Department Narcotics Unit.

Assistant U.S. Attorneys Robert A. Klinck and J. Michael Worley are prosecuting the case.

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