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SAN FRANCISCO – A total of sixteen defendants have been named thus far in a federal criminal complaint alleging a broad-ranging criminal conspiracy to traffic methamphetamine, heroin, cocaine, and other drugs in both the Eastern and Northern Districts of California, announced United States Attorney Brian J. Stretch and Drug Enforcement Administration Special Agent in Charge John J. Martin. The complaint, unsealed today, and related documents filed in the Eastern District of California allege that the following defendants participated in the conspiracy:
According to the complaint, the defendants all were part of a conspiracy whose objective was to distribute large quantities of heroin, cocaine, methamphetamine and prescription pills. The conspirators also maintained marijuana grow houses in San Francisco, Oakland, Antioch, Discovery Bay, Tracy, and Delano, California.
According to the complaint, Oscar Escalente orchestrated many aspects of the alleged conspiracy, including working with an armorer to modify firearms so as to make them fully automatic for use in furtherance of the conspiracy. The complaint also describes the various roles that the defendants allegedly played in the conspiracy. The allegations set out the following:
All the defendants were charged with engaging in a conspiracy to distribute heroin, cocaine, methamphetamine, alprazolam, and 100 or more marijuana plants, in violation of 21 U.S.C. § 846; and illegal use of a communication facility, in violation of 21 U.S.C. § 843(b). In addition, Oscar Escalante, Vicochea, Abdelwahhab, and Salcedo were charged with possession of a machine gun, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 922(o); and Oscar and Melina Escalante, Munoz, Reayoung, and Vicochea were charged with money laundering, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1956(h). The maximum statutory penalty for a violation of 21 U.S.C. §§ 841(a)(1) and 846 is 40 years’ imprisonment and a fine of $5,000,000; the maximum statutory penalty for a violation of 21 U.S.C. § 843(b) is 4 years’ imprisonment and a fine of $250,000; the maximum statutory penalty for a violation of 18 U.S.C. § 922(o) is 10 years; and the maximum statutory penalty for a violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1956(h) is 20 years. However, any sentence following conviction would be imposed by the court after consideration of the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and the federal statute governing the imposition of a sentence, 18 U.S.C. § 3553.
A complaint merely alleges that crimes have been committed, and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
Yesterday, the DEA made 17 arrests and searched at least 14 locations in coordinated activity. The defendants are scheduled to make the following appearances for detention hearings:
Defendant |
Next appearance before U.S. Magistrate Judge* |
David Vigil |
8/26/2016 |
James Hinkle |
8/29/2016 |
Oscar Escalante |
8/31/2016 |
Melina Escalante |
8/29/2016 |
Claudia Munoz |
8/29/2016 |
Jorge Gomez |
8/30/2016 |
Alfredo Ortiz |
8/30/2016 |
Julian Reayoung |
Not yet scheduled |
Christian Vanleer |
8/26/2016 |
Michael Vicochea |
8/31/2016 |
Ignacio Gonzalez |
8/30/2016 |
Daniel Medina-Garay |
8/30/2016 |
Adam Abdelwahhab |
8/31/2016 |
Louis Ramirez |
8/29/2016 |
Joel Salcedo |
9/6/2016 |
Sean Chin |
8/29/2016 |
* All appearances will be made before U.S. Magistrate Judge Kandis Westmore except Vigil and Hinkle who will appear before U.S,. Magistrate Judge Stanley A. Boone, in Sacramento and Salcedo who will appear before U.S. Magistrate Judge Donna M. Ryu in San Jose.
This case is the product of an investigation by the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force, a focused multi-agency, multi-jurisdictional task force investigating and prosecuting the most significant drug trafficking organizations throughout the United States by leveraging the combined expertise of federal, state and local law enforcement agencies. Special assistance was provided by the San Ramon Police Department with additional assistance from the Marin County Sheriff and the Oakland Police Department.