Brothers and Associates Sentenced in Interlocking Family-Led Drug Trafficking Conspiracies

DETROIT – Two sets of brothers and six associates in two family-led drug trafficking conspiracies were sentenced by U.S. District Judge Victoria A. Roberts in federal court last week. Jamilie Ledesma of Detroit and his brother Jason Ledesma of Inkster, leaders of a major drug trafficking organization in metro-Detroit, were sentenced to 155 months and 120 months, respectively, in federal prison, for conspiring to distribute cocaine, United States Attorney Dawn N. Ison announced today. In addition, Curtis Wood of Detroit was sentenced to 150 months in federal prison for his leadership role in a related drug trafficking conspiracy that involved his brother, Kevin Wood of Detroit, who was sentenced to 75 months for his role in the drug trafficking conspiracy. 

“Our office will vigorously pursue drug dealers who traffic cocaine and other drugs into our community,” stated U.S. Attorney Ison. “I commend the excellent work of the federal law enforcement agents who stop individuals who seek to destroy the lives of our friends, neighbors, and loved ones.”

Ison was joined in the announcement by Orville O. Greene, Special Agent in Charge of the Detroit Field Division of the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) and James A. Tarasca, Special Agent in Charge of the Detroit Field Division of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI).

According to court records, the Ledesma brothers’ drug trafficking organization supplied kilogram quantities of drugs to the Wood brothers’ organization, which distributed the drugs in the metro-Detroit area. The family-led Ledesma and Wood organizations used couriers, vehicles, stash houses, distributors, and various methods to transport and distribute drugs. The case was investigated by the DEA and the FBI and resulted in the seizure of over 12 kilograms of narcotics (including cocaine, heroin, and fentanyl), more than $400,000 in cash, dozens of firearms, hundreds of rounds of ammunition, and a bullet-proof vest.

Also sentenced in the case were:

• Michael Reynolds of Detroit was sentenced to 60 months for conspiring to distribute cocaine.
• Patrick Harris-Walker of Romulus was sentenced to 60 months for conspiring to distribute cocaine.
• Darius Barnes of Ecorse was sentenced to 50 months for conspiring to distribute cocaine.
• Jerome Bray of Dearborn Heights was sentenced to 30 months for using a communication facility in facilitating the commission of a violation of the Controlled Substances Act.
• Gregory Barnes of Ecorse was sentenced to 18 months for using a communication facility in facilitating the commission of a violation of the Controlled Substances Act.
• And, Deviunda Morris of Detroit was sentenced to time served for possession of a controlled substance with intent to distribute.
• Uriel Galvan-Maciel, a Mexican national, previously pleaded guilty to conspiring to distribute controlled substances and has yet to be sentenced.

This case was investigated by the DEA and FBI. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Margaret Smith, Trevor Broad, and Paul Kuebler.