Press Release
Indictment Unsealed Charging Eleven Defendants in Interstate Methamphetamine-Trafficking Conspiracy
For Immediate Release
U.S. Attorney's Office, Eastern District of Louisiana
Acting U.S. Attorney Duane A. Evans announced the unsealing of a 23-count Indictment charging STEFEN DAIGLE, age 30; PETER GIANDALONE, age 42, GLENN MELANCON, a/k/a “PAUL MELANCON,” age 49, JEFFREY CLINES, age 52, all of New Orleans; JAMES HATCH, age 48, ANGEL RENEE VIDAURE, age 37, EULALIO TORRES-CADENAS, age 40, all of Houston, TX; JACOB HIGGINBOTHAM, age 23, of Houma; DELIO ALFREDO LOPEZ-LOPEZ, age 40, of Honduras; LINDSEY LOPEZ, age 35, of Metairie; and JULIEN POLK, a/k/a “SIMONE,” age 39, of San Francisco, CA; with conspiring to traffic methamphetamine, along with numerous substantive drug offenses. In addition, DELIO ALFREDO LOPEZ-LOPEZ was charged with possessing a firearm in furtherance of his drug-trafficking activities, and with illegally reentering the United States after having previously been deported.
The following chart summarizes the charges alleged in the Indictment, along with the penalties that each defendant faces if convicted of the alleged offense.
Count |
Charge |
Defendants |
Penalties |
1 |
Conspiracy to Distribute and Possess with Intent to Distribute Methamphetamine – Title 21 U.S.C. §§ 841(a)(1), 841(b)(1)(A), 841(b)(1)(C), and 846 |
All |
DAIGLE, GIANDALONE, HIGGINBOTHAM, CLINES, HATCH, VIDAURE, TORRES-CADENAS, LOPEZ-LOPEZ, LOPEZ, POLK: 10 years to life imprisonment, at least 5 years supervised release, $10,000,000 fine
MELANCON: 0 to 20 years, at least 3 years supervised release, $1,000,000 fine |
2 |
Possession with Intent to Distribute Methamphetamine – Title 21 U.S.C. §§ 841(a)(1), 841(b)(1)(C); Title 18 U.S.C. § 2
|
GIANDALONE |
0 to 20 years, at least 3 years supervised release, $1,000,000 fine |
3 |
Distribution of 50 Grams or More of Methamphetamine – Title 21 U.S.C. §§ 841(a)(1), 841(b)(1)(B)
|
POLK |
5 to 40 years, at least 4 years supervised release, $5,000,000 fine |
4 |
Possession with Intent to Distribute 50 Grams or More of Methamphetamine – Title 21 U.S.C. §§ 841(a)(1), 841(b)(1)(B)
|
GIANDALONE |
5 to 40 years, at least 4 years supervised release, $5,000,000 fine |
5 |
Distribution of 50 Grams or More of Methamphetamine – Title 21 U.S.C. §§ 841(a)(1), 841(b)(1)(B)
|
GIANDALONE |
5 to 40 years, at least 4 years supervised release, $5,000,000 fine |
6 |
Possession with Intent to Distribute 50 Grams or More of Methamphetamine – Title 21 U.S.C. §§ 841(a)(1), 841(b)(1)(B); Title 18 U.S.C. § 2
|
GIANDALONE, HIGGINBOTHAM |
5 to 40 years, at least 4 years supervised release, $5,000,000 fine |
7 |
Distribution of 50 Grams or More of Methamphetamine – Title 21 U.S.C. §§ 841(a)(1), 841(b)(1)(B)
|
POLK |
5 to 40 years, at least 4 years supervised release, $5,000,000 fine |
8 |
Distribution of Methamphetamine – Title 21 U.S.C. §§ 841(a)(1), 841(b)(1)(C)
|
MELANCON |
0 to 20 years, at least 3 years supervised release, $1,000,000 fine |
9 |
Distribution of Methamphetamine – Title 21 U.S.C. §§ 841(a)(1), 841(b)(1)(C)
|
MELANCON |
0 to 20 years, at least 3 years supervised release, $1,000,000 fine |
10 |
Distribution of Methamphetamine – Title 21 U.S.C. §§ 841(a)(1), 841(b)(1)(C)
|
MELANCON |
0 to 20 years, at least 3 years supervised release, $1,000,000 fine |
11 |
Distribution of Methamphetamine – Title 21 U.S.C. §§ 841(a)(1), 841(b)(1)(C); Title 18 U.S.C. § 2
|
MELANCON, GIANDALONE |
0 to 20 years, at least 3 years supervised release, $1,000,000 fine |
12 |
Possession with Intent to Distribute Methamphetamine – Title 21 U.S.C. §§ 841(a)(1), 841(b)(1)(C)
|
GIANDALONE |
0 to 20 years, at least 3 years supervised release, $1,000,000 fine |
13 |
Possession with Intent to Distribute Methamphetamine – Title 21 U.S.C. §§ 841(a)(1), 841(b)(1)(C)
|
GIANDALONE |
0 to 20 years, at least 3 years supervised release, $1,000,000 fine |
14 |
Distribution of Methamphetamine – Title 21 U.S.C. §§ 841(a)(1), 841(b)(1)(C)
|
CLINES |
0 to 20 years, at least 3 years supervised release, $1,000,000 fine |
15 |
Possession with Intent to Distribute 50 Grams or More of Methamphetamine – Title 21 U.S.C. §§ 841(a)(1), 841(b)(1)(B)
|
CLINES |
5 to 40 years, at least 4 years supervised release, $5,000,000 fine |
16 |
Distribution of 50 Grams or More of Methamphetamine – Title 21 U.S.C. §§ 841(a)(1), 841(b)(1)(B); Title 18 U.S.C. § 2
|
HATCH, VIDAURE |
5 to 40 years, at least 4 years supervised release, $5,000,000 fine |
17 |
Possessing a Firearm in Furtherance of Drug Trafficking– Title 18 U.S.C. § 924(c)(1)(A)(i)
|
HATCH, VIDAURE |
5 years to life imprisonment, not more than 5 years supervised release, $250,000 fine
|
18 |
Possession with Intent to Distribute Methamphetamine – Title 21 U.S.C. §§ 841(a)(1), 841(b)(1)(C); Title 18 U.S.C. § 2
|
GIANDALONE |
0 to 20 years, at least 3 years supervised release, $1,000,000 fine |
19 |
Distribution of Methamphetamine – Title 21 U.S.C. §§ 841(a)(1), 841(b)(1)(C)
|
LOPEZ |
0 to 20 years, at least 3 years supervised release, $1,000,000 fine |
20 |
Possession with Intent to Distribute Methamphetamine – Title 21 U.S.C. §§ 841(a)(1), 841(b)(1)(C); Title 18 U.S.C. § 2
|
LOPEZ-LOPEZ |
0 to 20 years, at least 3 years supervised release, $1,000,000 fine |
21 |
Possessing a Firearm in Furtherance of Drug Trafficking– Title 18 U.S.C. § 924(c)(1)(A)(i) |
LOPEZ-LOPEZ |
5 years to life imprisonment, not more than 5 years supervised release, $250,000 fine
|
22 |
Possessing a Firearm, Illegal Alien – Title 18 U.S.C. § 922(g)(5)(A), 924(a)(2)
|
LOPEZ-LOPEZ |
0 to 10 years, not more than 3 years supervised release, $250,000 fine |
23 |
Illegal Reentry – Title 8 U.S.C. § 1326(a)
|
LOPEZ-LOPEZ |
0 to 2 years, not more than 1 year supervised release, $250,000 fine
|
Acting U.S. Attorney Evans reiterated that the Indictment is merely a charge and that the guilt of the defendants must be proven beyond a reasonable doubt.
Acting U.S. Attorney Evans praised the work of the United States Postal Inspection Service, Louisiana State Police, Jefferson Parish Sheriff’s Office, Texas Department of Public Safety, Texas Highway Patrol, Montgomery County (Texas) Sheriff’s Office, Immigration and Customs Enforcement, AMTRAK Police, and the Orleans Parish District Attorney’s Office. Assistant United States Attorney Brandon S. Long is in charge of the prosecution.
Updated November 15, 2017
Topic
Drug Trafficking
Component