Press Release
Eighteen Individuals Charged with Trafficking Methamphetamine in Central and Southern Indiana
For Immediate Release
U.S. Attorney's Office, Southern District of Indiana
INDIANAPOLIS – Eighteen individuals were indicted by a federal grand jury on drug trafficking and money laundering charges. The indictment charges the defendants with conspiracies to distribute controlled substances, including methamphetamine, and to launder the proceeds of the distributed controlled substances. The indictment was unsealed today following the initial appearances of the defendants.
Yesterday, fifteen defendants were taken into federal custody in Indianapolis, Columbus, Seymour, Terre Haute, and Detroit, Michigan. Three other defendants are still at large. In addition, three individuals were detained for immigration violations.
To date in this investigation, authorities have seized approximately 82 pounds of methamphetamine, approximately 1750 fentanyl pills, approximately 35 grams of fentanyl, approximately 1 kilogram of cocaine, approximately 4 pounds of marijuana, and a large quantity of suspected THC gummies. In addition to drug seizures, authorities have seized approximately $9000.00 in U.S. currency as suspected drug proceeds as well as 9 firearms.
The Jackson County Prosecutors Office has also filed state charges against five additional defendants for dealing methamphetamine, and the Bartholomew County Prosecutor has charged one additional defendant on a state charge for dealing methamphetamine.
The following individuals are in federal custody or *at large:
Charge(s) |
|
Edeer Avila, 38, Mexico *NOT in custody |
Conspiracy to Distribute Methamphetamine & Launder Monetary Instruments |
Martin Felix-Garcia, 33, Phoenix, AZ *NOT in custody |
Conspiracy to Launder Monetary Instruments |
Isaias Gonzalez-Torres, 30, Indianapolis |
Conspiracy to Distribute Methamphetamine & Launder Monetary Instruments |
Erlin Lucero-Asencio, 29, Indianapolis |
Conspiracy to Distribute Methamphetamine & Launder Monetary Instruments |
Abel Ayala-Garcia, 31, Columbus, IN |
Conspiracy to Distribute Methamphetamine & Launder Monetary Instruments |
Luis Daniel Hernandez, 24, Indianapolis |
Conspiracy to Distribute Methamphetamine & Launder Monetary Instruments |
Andrew Calix-Maldonado, 27, Indianapolis |
Conspiracy to Distribute Methamphetamine & Launder Monetary Instruments |
Julio Vicente-Guox, 33, Indianapolis |
Conspiracy to Distribute Methamphetamine |
Eduardo Rodriguez, 25, Indianapolis |
Conspiracy to Distribute Methamphetamine & Launder Monetary Instruments |
Kenia Acosta, 38, Indianapolis |
Conspiracy to Distribute Methamphetamine |
Jeami Waleska Sevilla-Luna, 27, Indianapolis |
Conspiracy to Distribute Methamphetamine |
Victor Vazquez-Hernandez, 41, Seymour |
Conspiracy to Distribute Methamphetamine |
Allison Perdue, 24, Seymour |
Conspiracy to Distribute Methamphetamine |
John Whiffing, 47, Terre Haute |
Conspiracy to Distribute Methamphetamine |
Abner Rodas-Abelardez, 36, Indianapolis *NOT in custody |
Conspiracy to Distribute Methamphetamine |
Claudio Garcia-Morales, 35, Columbus, IN |
Conspiracy to Distribute Methamphetamine |
Eulailo Murillo-Resura, 31, Indianapolis |
Conspiracy to Distribute Methamphetamine |
Jendry Medina, 20, Indianapolis |
Conspiracy to Launder Monetary Instruments |
If convicted on the conspiracy with intent to distribute controlled substances charges, each faces between ten years to life imprisonment, no less than five years supervised release, and a $10,000,000 fine. If convicted on the money laundering charge, each faces a mandatory minimum of up to twenty years in prison, up to three years of supervised release, and a $500,000 fine. Actual sentences are determined by a federal district court judge and are typically less than the maximum penalties.
The following five Individuals face state prosecution in Jackson County:
Defendant |
Charge(s) |
Emilio Landa-Laganes |
Dealing methamphetamine F2 |
Mariah Crowe |
|
Daniel Parrish |
Dealing methamphetamine F2 |
Samantha Farris |
Dealing methamphetamine F2 |
Zachariah Farris |
The following individual faces state prosecution in Bartholomew County:
Defendant |
Charge(s) |
Antonio Cuautle-Cuenca |
Dealing methamphetamine F2 |
Zachary A. Myers, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Indiana, Michael Gannon, Assistant Special Agent in Charge of the DEA’s Indianapolis Field Office, and Bryant Lucas, Chief of the Seymour Police Department made the announcement.
The Drug Enforcement Administration and the Seymour Police Department investigated the case in conjunction with the Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation, the Homeland Security Investigation, the United States Postal Inspection Service, the Jackson County Prosecutors Office, the Columbus Police Department, the Bartholomew County Sheriff’s Office, the Bartholomew County Prosecutors Office, the Indiana State Police, the Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department, the Brownsburg Police Department, and the Bloomington Police Department.
U.S. Attorney Myers thanked Assistant U.S. Attorneys Michelle P. Brady and Patrick G. Gibson, who are prosecuting the case.
This prosecution is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten the United States by using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks.
An indictment is merely an allegation, and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Updated May 2, 2022
Topics
Drug Trafficking
Opioids
Immigration
Component