Agents Seize More Than $930,000.00 in Drug Distribution Investigation

ERIE, Pa. - Five residents of Erie, Pennsylvania, have been indicted by a federal grand jury in Erie on charges of violating federal drug and money laundering laws, Acting United States Attorney Soo C. Song announced today.

The six-count superseding indictment named Adelfo Rodriguez-Mendez, 38, Geneva Gore, 48, John Edward Moyer, II, 35, Jason Edward Moyer, 32 and Guadalupe Cortez Beserra, 29, as defendants.

According to the superseding indictment presented to the court, the defendants conspired to possess with intent to distribute and distributed less than five hundred grams of cocaine. In addition, Rodriguez-Mendez, Gore and the Moyers possessed with intent to distribute and distributed less than five hundred grams of cocaine. Rodriguez-Mendez and Beserra conspired to commit money laundering by transferring and delivering approximately $932,000.00 in U.S. currency representing the proceeds of the buying, selling and otherwise dealing in controlled substances. According to the superseding indictment, the approximately $932,610.00 in drug proceeds seized by the investigators is subject to forfeiture.

The law provides for a maximum total sentence of 80 years in prison, a fine of $3,500,000, or both for Rodriguez-Mendez; 80 years in prison, a fine of $4,000,000, or both for Gore; 40 years in prison, a fine of $2,000,000, or both for John Moyer and Jason Moyer; and 40 years in prison, a fine of $1,500,000, or both for Beserra. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed would be based upon the seriousness of the offenses and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendants.

Assistant United States Attorney Marshall J. Piccinini is prosecuting this case on behalf of the government.

The Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Homeland Security Investigations, the Pennsylvania State Police, and the Coshocton County, Ohio Sheriff’s Office conducted the investigation leading to the superseding indictment in this case.

An indictment is an accusation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.