Florida Man Pleads Guilty to Drug Charges as a Result of “Operation Denial”

FARGO - U. S. Attorney Christopher C. Myers announced that on May 14, 2018, Anthony Santos Gomes, a/k/a Ant, originally from Rhode Island, entered a plea of guilty before U. S. District Chief Judge Brian S. Miller, Eastern District of Arkansas, to Count One of a Superseding Indictment returned on January 18, 2018, which charged Conspiracy to Possess with Intent to Distribute and Distribute Controlled Substances and Controlled Substance Analogues Resulting in Serious Bodily Injury and Death. The Defendant also entered a plea of guilty to Money Laundering Conspiracy. In addition to pleading guilty, Gomes agreed to forfeit the following property as a part of the plea agreement: a residence located in Davie, Florida; $162,836.00 in cash; 2007 Maserati Quattroporte; 2017 Polaris Sportsman XP ATV; and assorted Jewelry valued at $64,725.00.

This case came to the attention of law enforcement as part of "Operation Denial," an Organized Crime and Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) investigation into the international trafficking of fentanyl and other lethal drugs, and was significantly aided by the national and international coordination led by the multi-agency Special Operations Division (S.O.D.) near Washington D.C. as part of "Operation Deadly Merchant." The investigation started in North Dakota on Jan. 3, 2015, with the overdose death in Grand Forks of 18-year-old Bailey Henke.

This case was investigated by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations; U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration; U.S. Postal Inspection Service; Grand Forks Narcotics Task Force; Royal Canadian Mounted Police; Portland, Oregon, Police Bureau – Drugs and Vice Division; Portland HIDTA Interdiction Task Force; Oregon State Police and the Grand Forks Police Department. The principal mission of the OCDETF program is to identify, disrupt, and dismantle the most serious drug trafficking organizations and those primarily responsible for the nation’s illegal drug supply.

U.S. Attorney Christopher C. Myers, Assistant U.S. Attorney Scott Kerin for the District of Oregon and Trial Attorney Adrienne Rose of the Criminal Division’s Narcotic & Dangerous Drug Section are prosecuting the cases.

Sentencing of Mr. Gomes has been set for August 6, 2018.

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