Press Release

More Than 30 Opioid Drug Traffickers Charged As Part Of Operation Hot Batch

Tuesday, December 19, 2017

For Immediate Release

U.S. Attorney's Office, Middle District of Florida

Bradenton, Florida – Acting United States Attorney W. Stephen Muldrow, Special Agent in Charge Adolphus P. Wright of the Drug Enforcement Administration, and Manatee County Sheriff Rick Wells announce drug trafficking charges against 34 individuals as a result of “Operation Hot Batch.” This joint law enforcement effort began in November 2016, to target drug trafficking organizations engaged in the illicit distribution of fentantyl, carfentanil, and other controlled substances. The chart below outlines the charges against each individual.

“The Department of Justice is committed to combatting the opioid epidemic,” said Acting United States Attorney Muldrow. “The charges announced today demonstrate that commitment, as well as the strength of our federal, state, and local law enforcement partnerships. Together, we will continue to use all available law enforcement tools to dismantle drug trafficking organizations.”

“Our goal for this investigation is to find drug traffickers who are destroying lives in this community, and hold them accountable,” said Sheriff Wells.

As a result of a committed collaboration between the DEA and its law enforcement partners, a criminal and dangerous drug trafficking organization that distributed deadly drugs such as fentanyl has been successfully dismantled,” said DEA Special Agent in Charge Wright. “Along with our partners at all levels of government, we will continue to stay committed and dedicate all our efforts and all our resources to ridding communities of this poison so that they are better able to live safe and drug free lives.”

An indictment is merely a formal charge that a defendant has committed one or more violations of federal criminal law, and every defendant is presumed innocent unless, and until, proven guilty.

These cases were investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigation, U.S. Customs and Border Protection, the Manatee County Sheriff’s Office, the Bradenton Police Department, and the Sarasota Police Department as part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) investigation known as Operation Hot Batch. The principal mission of the OCDETF program is to identify, disrupt, and dismantle the most serious drug trafficking and money laundering organizations and those primarily responsible for the nation’s drug supply.

These cases will be prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Natalie Adams, Callan Albritton, Dan Baeza, Carlton Gammons, Michael Gordon, Shauna Hale, Frank Murray, James Preston, Michael Sinacore, and Taylor Stout.

Operation Hot Batch
Name	Age, Residence	Status
Traveous Anderson	31, Palmetto	Pleaded guilty to 1 count of possession with the intent to distribute and distribution of fentanyl. Faces up to 20 years in federal prison.
George Calhoun	41, Bradenton	Charged with 3 counts of distribution of carfentanil. Faces up to 20 years in federal prison.
Manvel L. Canady	26, Palmetto	Charged with 2 counts of distribution and possession with the intent to distribute carfentanil. Faces up to 20 years in federal prison.
Michael Bernard Code	36, Bradenton	Pleaded guilty to 1 count of possession with the intent to distribute cocaine. Faces up to 20 years in federal prison.
Gavino Corona	24, Bradenton	Charged with 2 counts of distribution and possession with the intent to distribute carfentanil. Faces up to 20 years in federal prison.
Shane Daniels	26, Manatee County	Pleaded guilty to 3 counts of distribution of crack; 2 counts of distribution of carfentanil; 1 count of distribution of heroin and carfentanil; 1 count of distribution of heroin, fentanyl, and carfentanil; and 1 count of distribution of heroin. Faces up to 20 years in federal prison on each count.
Tanikous Daughtry	39, Bradenton	Charged with 1 count of possession with the intent to distribute fentanyl and 1 count of possession with the intent to distribute crack cocaine. Faces up to 30 years in federal prison.
Ever Marie Davis	46, Bradenton	Charged with possession with the intent to distribute fentanyl and heroin. Faces up to 20 years in federal prison.
Kwame Henri	26, Bradenton	Pleaded guilty to 1 count of possession with the intent to distribute heroin and fentanyl. Faces up to 20 years in federal prison.
Jamey Michael Hardy	44, Bradenton	Charged with 4 counts of distribution of methamphetamine and 1 count of distribution of heroin. Faces up to 20 years in federal prison on each count.
Carla Marie Hendrickson	38, Bradenton	Pleaded guilty to possession with the intent to distribute fentanyl and heroin. Faces up to 20 years in federal prison.
Shaunquez S. Houston	26, Bradenton	Pleaded guilty to distribution of crack cocaine, heroin, carfentanil, and methamphetamine. Sentenced to 5 years’ probation.
Jerrell Jackson	29, Bradenton	Pleaded guilty to 1 count of conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute carfentanil and 1 count distribution and possession with intent to distribute carfentanil; sentenced to 18 months’ probation.
David E. Johnson	36, Bradenton	Charged with 1 count of distribution of fentanyl resulting in death and 1 count of distribution of fentanyl. Faces 20 years, up to life, in federal prison on count 1 and up to 20 years in federal prison on count 2.
Tony Marvin Johnson	34, Bradenton	Pleaded guilty to 1 count of possession with the intent to distribute cocaine. Faces up to 20 years in federal prison.
Andrew Aaron Kutt	46, Bradenton	Pleaded guilty to 1 count of possession with the intent to distribute methamphetamine. Faces a minimum mandatory penalty of 10 years, up to life, in federal prison.
Corey Matthews	29, Bradenton	Charged with 1 count of possession of fentanyl with the intent to distribute and 1 count of possession of crack cocaine with the intent to distribute. Faces up to 30 years in federal prison.
Jarvis McCants	29, Lecanto	Pleaded guilty to 1 count of conspiracy to possess with the intent to distribute fentanyl. Sentenced to 12 years and 7 months in federal prison.
Kevon Melendez	22, Bradenton	Charged with 1 count of possession with the intent to distribute carfentanil and 1 count of possession with the intent to distribute cocaine. Faces up to 20 years in federal prison.
Shavon Montgomery	37, Bradenton	Charged with 2 counts of distribution of crack cocaine; 1 count of distribution of heroin and fentanyl; and 1 count distribution of heroin, carfentanil, and fentanyl. Faces up to 30 years in federal prison.
Troy J. Perkins	35, Bradenton	Pleaded guilty to 1 count of conspiracy to distribute and possess with the intent to distribute fentanyl. Sentenced to 46 months in federal prison.
Woodrow Pressey	46, Bradenton	Charged with 1 count of possession of cocaine and fentanyl with the intent to distribute and 1 count of possessing firearms as a convicted felon. Faces up to 20 years in federal prison on the narcotics charge and up to 10 years’ imprisonment on the firearm charge.
Brandon J. Randolph	29, Bradenton;	Pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute cocaine, crack cocaine, heroin, methamphetamine, carfentanil, and fentanyl. Faces up to 30 years in federal prison.
Davion Rivers	22, Bradenton	Charged with 1 count of distribution of hydromorphone; 1 count of distribution of heroin, carfentanil, methamphetamine, and furanyl fentanyl; 1 count of distribution of furanyl fentanyl; and 1 count of distribution of heroin, fentanyl, and furanyl fentanyl. Faces up to 20 years in federal prison on each count.
Bryan Luis Lopez Rosario	27, Bradenton	Charged with 2 counts of distribution of heroin and morphine and 4 counts distribution of heroin. Faces up to 20 years in federal prison on each count.
Anthony Sanchez	25, Bradenton	Pleaded guilty to 1 count of distributing carfentanil and 1 count of possessing a firearm during a drug trafficking crime. Sentenced to 11 years in federal prison.
Skyler C. Sanders	32, Bradenton	Charged with 1 count of conspiracy to distribute cocaine, crack cocaine, heroin, methamphetamine, carfentanil, and fentanyl; 1 count of distribution of crack cocaine; 1 count of distribution of crack cocaine, heroin, cocaine, carfentanil, and fentanyl; 1 count of conspiracy to distribute crack cocaine, heroin, methamphetamine, and carfentanil; and 1 count of conspiracy to distribute crack cocaine. Faces up to 30 years in federal prison.
Jateria Simmons	28, Palmetto	Charged with 2 counts of distribution of heroin and fentanyl. Faces up to 30 years in federal prison.
Jonathan Solomon	29, Bradenton	Charged with 5 counts of distribution and possession with the intent to distribute heroin. Faces up to 30 years in federal prison.
Michael Taylor, Sr.	46, Bradenton	Pleaded guilty to 1 count of possession of fentanyl with the intent to distribute. Sentenced to 27 months in federal prison.
Latessa Timmons	35, Bradenton	Charged with 4 counts of possession with the intent to distribute and distribution of fentanyl. Faces up to 20 years in federal prison on each count.
Jennifer Lynn Varvel	35, Bradenton	Charged with possession with the intent to distribute fentanyl and heroin. Faces up to 20 years in federal prison.
Sergio Viera	26, Bradenton	Pleaded guilty to possessing a firearm as a convicted felon. Sentenced to six years and one month in federal prison.
Rakim Waters	27, Bradenton	Pleaded guilty to 1 count of conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute carfentanil; 2 counts of distribution and possession with the intent to distribute heroin and carfentanil; 2 counts of distribution and possession with the intent to distribute carfentanil; and 1 count distribution and possession with the intent to distribute heroin. Sentenced to 48 months’ probation.

Updated December 19, 2017

Topics

Drug Trafficking

Firearms Offenses

Opioids

Prescription Drugs

Component

USAO - Florida, Middle

More Than 30 Opioid Drug Traffickers Charged As Part Of Operation Hot Batch

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