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Press Release

Wichita Gang Member Indicted On Federal Firearms Charge

For Immediate Release
U.S. Attorney's Office, District of Kansas

WICHITA, KAN. – A Wichita gang member was indicted Tuesday on a federal firearms charge that resulted from an investigation into a shooting incident, U.S. Attorney Barry Grissom said.

Jermall Campbell, 32, Wichita, Kan., is charged with one count of unlawful possession of ammunition following a felony conviction. The crime is alleged to have occurred June 14, 2014, in Wichita, Kan.

Campbell initially was charged in a criminal complaint filed June 27 in U.S. District Court in Wichita. It is alleged Wichita police were called June 14 to a report of a shooting at 7007 E. Harry in Wichita. They found shell casings in the parking lot. Witnesses reported seeing Campbell, who is a documented member of the Neighborhood Crips street gang, carrying a gun when he tried to enter the club before the shooting and wrestled with a security guard. Police served a search warrant at Campbell’s residence.

Campbell was convicted in a federal racketeering case filed in 2007 and sentenced to 64 months. Federal law prohibits a convicted felon from possessing a firearm.

If convicted, he faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in federal prison and a fine up to $250,000. The Wichita Police Department investigated. Assistant U.S. Attorney Debra Barnett is prosecuting.

 
OTHER INDICTMENTS

Steven J. Meisel, 47, Wellington, Kan., is charged with one count of distributing child pornography and one count of possessing child pornography. The crimes are alleged to have occurred in May and June 2014 in Sumner County, Kan.

Meisel initially was charged in a criminal complaint filed June 19 in U.S. District Court in Wichita. It is alleged that a Wichita police detective working with the Exploited and Missing Child Unit and the Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force identified child pornography on Meisel’s computer. It was being shared over a peer-to-peer network.

If convicted, he faces a penalty of not less than five years and not more than 20 years and a fine up to $250,000 on the distribution charge, and a maximum penalty of 10 years and a fine up to $250,000 on the possession charge.

The Wichita Police Department, the Exploited and Missing Child Unit, the Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force and the Wellington Police Department investigated. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jason Hart is prosecuting.

Clint W. Cook, 30, Augusta, Kan., is charged with unlawful possession of a firearm following a felony conviction. The crime is alleged to have occurred Jan. 13, 2011, in Butler County, Kan.

If convicted, he faces 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 Jason Hart is prosecuting.

Steven Lee Fritts, 39, Wichita, Kan., is charged with unlawful possession of a firearm following a felony conviction. The crime is alleged to have occurred Feb. 15, 2014, in Sedgwick County, Kan.

If convicted, he faces 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 Matt Treaster is prosecuting.

Angel Ivan Venegas, 20, Newton, Kan., and Lisa Ann Vela, 29, Newton, Kan., are charged with one count of possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine and one count of distributing methamphetamine. In addition, Venegas in charged with one count of carrying a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking, one count of distributing methamphetamine, and one count of possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine. The crimes are alleged to have occurred in April and June of 2014 in Harvey County, Kan.

If convicted, they face a maximum penalty of 20 years and a fine up to $1 million on each of the possession and distribution charges, and he faces a penalty of not less than five years on the charge of possessing a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking. The Newton Police Department investigated. Assistant U.S. Attorney Matt Treaster is prosecuting.

In a superseding indictment, Ernesto Romo, 48, Wichita, Kan., Christian Lopez, 26, Phoenix, Ariz., Baldomero Villa, 25, Laveen, Ariz., Andrew Crane, 34, Wichita, Kan., Shawn Keevan, 34, Cassville, Mo., and Michael Carter, 53, Kansas City, Kan., are charged with one count of conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine. In addition, they face other counts including distribution of methamphetamine, interstate travel in furtherance of drug trafficking, unlawful use of a telephone in furtherance of drug trafficking and possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine. The crimes are alleged to have occurred at various times from Feb 2013 to May 2014 in Sedgwick County, Kan.

Upon conviction, the crimes carry the following penalties:
Conspiracy: Not less than five years in federal prison and not more than 40 years and a fine up to $5 million.
Distribution, possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine: Not less than five years in federal prison and not more than 40 years and a fine up to $5 million on each count.
Interstate travel in furtherance of drug trafficking: A maximum penalty of five years and a fine up to $250,000 on each count.
Unlawful use of a telephone in furtherance of drug trafficking: A maximum penalty of four years and a fine up to $250,000.

The Drug Enforcement Administration and the Sedgwick County Sheriff’s Office investigated. Assistant U.S. Attorney Lanny Welch is prosecuting.

Ernesto Ortiz, 22, San Elizario, Texas, is charged with one count of possession with intent to distribute cocaine. The crime is alleged to have occurred Feb. 14, 2014, in Lyon County, Kan.

If convicted, he faces a penalty of not less than five and not more than 40 years and a fine up to $5 million. The Kansas Highway Patrol and the Drug Enforcement Administration investigated. Assistant U.S. Attorney Debra Barnett is prosecuting.

William McManaman, 33, Wichita, Kan., and William McGreevy, 30, Wichita, Kan., are charged with one count of conspiracy to commit money laundering. In addition, McManaman is charged with conspiracy to distribute 50 pounds of marijuana. The crimes are alleged to have occurred beginning prior to 2011 in Sedgwick County, Kan.

 Upon conviction, the conspiracy to commit money laundering charge carries a maximum penalty of 20 years and a fine up to $500,000. The other charge carries a maximum penalty of five years and a fine up to $250,000. The Sedgwick County Sheriff’s Department and the Drug Enforcement Administration investigated. Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Michelle Jacobs is prosecuting.

Gerardo Guerrero-Arizmendi, 51, a citizen of Mexico, is charged with unlawfully re-entering the United States after being deported. He was found May 29, 2014, in Sedgwick County, Kan.

If convicted, he faces a maximum penalty of two years in federal prison and a fine up to $250,000. Enforcement and Removal Operations for Immigration and Customs Enforcement investigated. Assistant U.S. Attorney Brent Anderson is prosecuting.

Arturo Garcia-Olivas, 24, a citizen of Mexico, is charged with unlawfully re-entering the United States after being deported. He was found Feb. 18, 2014, in Pratt County, Kan.

If convicted, he faces a maximum penalty of two years in federal prison and a fine up to $250,000. Enforcement and Removal Operations for Immigration and Customs Enforcement investigated. Assistant U.S. Attorney Brent Anderson is prosecuting.

          Rene Urena-Cerrillo, 41, a citizen of Mexico, is charged with one count of unlawful possession of identification documents, two counts of aggravated identity theft, and one count of misusing a Social Security number. The crimes are alleged to have occurred in March and June 2014 in Sedgwick County, Kan.

If convicted, he faces a maximum penalty of 15 years and a fine up to $250,000 on the charge of unlawful possession of identification documents, a mandatory two-year consecutive sentence on each count of aggravated identity theft, and a maximum penalty of five years and a fine up to $250,000 on the charge of misusing a Social Security card. Homeland Security Investigations investigated. Assistant U.S. Attorney Brent Anderson is prosecuting.

Jackson G. Nyambane, 31, who is not a citizen of the United States, is charged with one count of unlawful possession of identification documents, one count of making a false statement to Homeland Security and one count of counterfeiting a Social Security card. The crimes are alleged to have occurred in October 2011 in Sedgwick County, Kan.

If convicted, he faces a maximum penalty of 15 years and a fine up to $250,000 on the unlawful possession of an identification charge, and a maximum penalty of five years and a fine up to $250,000 on each of the other counts. Homeland Security Investigations investigated. Assistant U.S. Attorney Brent Anderson is prosecuting.

    
Tomas Serrato-Jaimes, 31, Las Vegas, Nev., is charged with one count of possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine and one count of possession with intent to distribute cocaine. The crime is alleged to have occurred June 20, 2014, in Hays, Kan.

If convicted, he faces a penalty of not less than 10 years and a fine up to $10 million on the methamphetamine, and a penalty of not less than five years and not more than 40 years and a fine up to $5 million on the cocaine charge. The Kansas Highway Patrol investigated. Assistant U.S. Attorney Aaron Smith is prosecuting.

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

Updated December 15, 2014

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