California Man Indictment On Drug And Money Laundering Charges

CONTACT:      Barbara Burns
PHONE:         (716) 843-5817
FAX:            (716) 551-3051

BUFFALO, N.Y.-U.S. Attorney William J. Hochul Jr. announced today that a federal grand jury has returned a two count indictment charging Jose Manuel Lua-Guizar, 25, of California, with conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute, and to distribute, five kilograms or more of cocaine and money laundering conspiracy. The charges carry a mandatory minimum penalty of 10 years in prison, a maximum of life and a $10,000,000   fine.

Assistant U.S. Attorneys Michael J. Adler and Timothy C. Lynch, who are handling the case, stated that according to the indictment, between February 2014 and December 10, 2014, the defendant conspired with others to distribute cocaine in the Buffalo area. In addition, between April 2014 and December 10, 2014, Lua-Guizar conspired with others to funnel the proceeds of the drug trafficking activity from Buffalo to California. The indictment alleges that the defendant and co-conspirators funneled a total of $1,049,270.00.  

Lua-Guizar will be arraigned at a later date.

The indictment is the culmination of an investigation by the Drug Enforcement Administration, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge James J. Hunt, Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Homeland Security Investigations, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge James C. Spero, and the Internal Revenue Service, Criminal Investigation Division, under the direction of Shantelle P. Kitchen, Special Agent in Charge. Additional assistance was provided by ICE-HSI in Los Angeles, California.  
The fact that a defendant has been charged with a crime is merely an accusation and the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.