United States Attorney Melinda Haag
 Northern District of California
 

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE                                                                                     CONTACT:  JACK GILLUND February 8, 2012                                                                                                              (415) 436-6599  
WWW.USDOJ.GOV/USAO/CAN                                                                               Jack.Gillund@usdoj.gov
 
 
SAN FRANCISCO – On Tuesday, over 900 officers and agents executed arrest and search warrants in a large-scale takedown of individuals involved in narcotics trafficking and gang activity in the Bay Area, announced United States Attorney Melinda Haag; Stephanie Douglas, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI in San Francisco; Chief Ronald L. Davis of East Palo Alto Police Department; and Chief Bryan Roberts of Menlo Park Police Department.
 
Local, state and federal officers – including FBI SWAT Teams from San Francisco, Los Angeles, Sacramento, Portland, Phoenix and Las Vegas; officers from East Palo Alto and Menlo Park police departments –executed over 30 search warrants and arrested 27 and seized significant quantities of money, drugs, firearms, and several vehicles in “Operation Phallen Gardens”.  The majority of the arrests and searches occurred in the East Palo Alto and Menlo Park areas. 
 
The following individuals were taken into custody based upon federal charges and made their initial appearance earlier today in federal court in San Francisco:
 
Frederick Anderson, Jr., 53
Michael Barnes, 54
Dedeaux Maurice Brown, 37
Monique Burns, 38
Caezarine Kilo Donelson, 41
Veronica Elliot, 30
Fred Lamar Finney, 27
Annette Hamilton, 48
Elizabeth Head, 50
Bobby Lee Jones, Jr., 51
John Allen Keller, Jr., 24
Cristian Rios Mora, 19
Donald Poston, 36
John Wayne Price, 37
Prince Lee Prince, Jr., 38
Leslie Reese, 52
Donnell Robinson, 37
Jesus Segura, 31
Frederick Sims, 54
Stephanie Yvonne Smith, 54
Cellie Sturns, 53
Dustin Thomas, 25
Willie Charles White, 49
Benjamin Lee Williams, 55
Joseph Earl Lamont Williams, 30
Raymond Williams, 25 J. Jesse Ochoa Garcia, 41
 
The following individuals remain fugitives:
 
Tony Giovanni Joseph, 30
Derrick Lane, 39
Shawn Curtis McKnight, 49
Charles Edward Menifee, III, 20
Jesus Segura, 31
Joey Earl Williams, 48
 
The individuals were indicted by a federal grand jury or charged via criminal complaint for various narcotics trafficking related charges throughout the Bay Area. 
 
“This operation demonstrates the results that can be achieved when federal and community law-enforcement partners work together,” U.S. Attorney Haag said.  “Members of the San Francisco Safe Streets Task Force put their lives on the line every day to help make the Northern District of California a safe, productive and beautiful place to live.”
 
Operation Phallen Gardens is the result of a two-year, Organized Crime and Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) and San Francisco Safe Streets Task Force investigation.  The focus was on an associated group of individuals who supplied drugs, which included cocaine and methamphetamine, to multiple gangs in the area of East Palo Alto and Menlo Park. 
 
“This operation highlights how effective and important our task forces are in combating violent crime in our communities,” said Special Agent in Charge Stephanie Douglas of FBI San Francisco.  “The FBI and our local, state, and federal law enforcement partners are committed to working together to target those involved in gang activity and narcotics trafficking.” 
 
“This operation resulted in a significant blow against the scourge of gangs, drugs and violence in our communities,” said East Palo Alto Chief Ronald Davis.  “As gangs evolve and grow beyond jurisdictional boundaries, local, state and federal law enforcement agencies must collaborate and use our shared resources to effectively disrupt their activities and stem the violence.”
 
“Task forces of this nature are a crucial component for local law enforcement to effectively address violent crime and narcotic trafficking in their communities,” said Menlo Park Police Chief Bryan Roberts.  “These partnerships are a force multiplier for our operations.”
 
The OCDETF Program was established in 1982 to conduct comprehensive, multi-level attacks on major drug trafficking and money laundering organizations.  The principal mission of the OCDETF program is to identify, disrupt, and dismantle the most serious drug trafficking and money laundering organizations and those primarily responsible for the nation’s drug supply.
 
The San Francisco Safe Streets Task Force consists of FBI agents, and police officers from East Palo Alto Police Department and Menlo Park Police Department.  This task force was established in 1996 as a part of the FBI Safe Streets Violent Crimes Initiative, which seeks to target violent crimes through coordinated investigations.
 
The United States Attorney’s Office of the Northern District of California, FBI San Francisco, East Palo Alto Police Department, and the Menlo Park Police Department thank the following agencies for their assistance during the operation: FBI Field Offices in Los Angeles, Sacramento, Portland, Phoenix, and Las Vegas; the United States Marshal Service; Drug Enforcement Administration; Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; California Highway Patrol, San Mateo County Sheriff’s Office, Mountain View Police Department, Newark Police Department, Redwood City Police Department, Sunnyvale Police Department, Oakland Police Department, Stockton Police Department, Fremont Police Department, Santa Clara Police Department and Palo Alto Police Department.    
 
Please note, an indictment contains only allegations and as in all cases, the defendants must be presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.

United States Attorney Melinda Haag
 Northern District of California
 

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE                                                                                     CONTACT:  JACK GILLUND January 26, 2012                                                                                                              (415) 436-6599  
WWW.USDOJ.GOV/USAO/CAN                                                                               Jack.Gillund@usdoj.gov
 

HIGH-LEVEL WEST COAST DRUG TRAFFICKING RING DISMANTLED

 
            SAN FRANCISCO – A federal grand jury in San Francisco indicted 20 defendants on Jan. 17 for drug related charges that include conspiracy to distribute five kilograms or more of cocaine, 280 grams or more of cocaine base and 500 grams or more of methamphetamine, United States Attorney Melinda Haag announced.
 
            According to the Indictment, which was unsealed yesterday, the defendants engaged in a long-term narcotics conspiracy.  The indictment also alleges that 15 of the defendants distributed illegal narcotics or possessed illegal narcotics with the intent to distribute them.
 
            According to the Indictment, two of the defendants, Antonio Jose Diaz-Rivera, a/k/a Jose Angel Monroy, a/k/a Magico, a/k/a Miguel; and Santos Cabrera-Arteaga, a/k/a Chelé, are alleged to have operated continuing criminal enterprises by committing a series of drug trafficking crimes while working in concert with at least five other people whom they organized, supervised or managed, and by obtaining substantial income and resources from the enterprise. 
 
            The following defendants were charged in the indictment that alleges a narcotics conspiracy:

 
1.                              Antonio Jose Diaz-Rivera, a/k/a Jose Angel Monroy, a/k/a Magico, a/k/a Miguel, 35, of San Francisco.
2.                              Chabelita Lnu, a/k/a Isabel.
3.                              Fatima Carolina Segovia, 32, of Hayward, Calif.                       
4.                              Fnu Lnu, a/k/a Alé.
5.                              Fnu Lnu, a/k/a Gata.
6.                              Franklin Almendarez, a/k/a Pelon, 31, of Oakland, Calif.
7.                              Fortunato Rodelo-Lara, a/k/a Nato, 42, of San Mateo, Calif.
8.                              Javier Antonio Cabrera-Arteaga, a/k/a Piloto, 26, of Seattle.
9.                              Jesus Almendares-Vasquez, a/k/a Wilfredo, 36, of San Jose, Calif.
10.                          Jesus De La Paz Lopez-Soto, a/k/a Catrin Soto, a/k/a El Catrin, 34.
11.                          Joel Lnu, a/k/a Jose Cortez, a/k/a Tavo, a/k/a Estrada.
12.                          Jose Evaristo-Rauda, a/k/a Yuquita, 44, of San Francisco.
13.                          Jose Tobar-Galdamez, a/k/a Renaud, 47, of Hayward.
14.                          Juan Carlos Monroy, a/k/a Juanito, a/k/a Chapulincito, 20.
15.                          Layser A. Cabrera, a/k/a Felix Antonio Escobar, 25.
16.                          Luis Cabrera-Banegas, a/k/a Tigre, 26.
17.                          Luis Fernando Aguilar-Soto, 46.
18.                          Marcos Antonio Flores, 49, of Vallejo, Calif.
19.                          Santos Cabrera-Arteaga, a/k/a Chelé, 30.
20.                          Tilo Rodriguez-Hernandez, a/k/a Dixon Rodriguez, a/k/a Teodoro, 24.
 
 

            Of those charged, the following defendants were arrested and arraigned in federal court in San Francisco, yesterday:
 
 
 
•                                 Antonio Jose Diaz-Rivera, arrested in San Francisco.
•                                 Jose Evaristo-Rauda, arrested in South San Francisco.
•                                 Fatima Carolina Segovia, arrested in Hayward.
•                                 Jose Tobar-Galdamez, arrested in Hayward.
∙                 Fortunato Rodelo-Lara, arrested in San Mateo.
∙                 Marcos Antonio Flores, arrested in Vallejo.                    
∙                 Jesus Almendares-Vasquez, arrested in San Jose.
∙                 Javier Antonio Cabrera-Arteaga, arrested in Seattle.
 
            All of the defendants who were arrested in the Bay Area have detention hearings or status hearings scheduled next week or the following week in federal court in San Francisco before Magistrate Judge Jacqueline Scott Corley or Magistrate Judge Maria-Elena James.
 
            The maximum statutory penalty for conspiracy to distribute and to possess with Intent to distribute cocaine, cocaine base, and methamphetamine, in violation of 21 U.S.C. §§ 846, 841(b)(1)(A)(ii), 841(b)(1)(A)(iii), and 841(b)(1)(A)(viii); operating a continuing criminal enterprise, in violation of 21 U.S.C. § 848(a); possession with intent to distribute and distribution of cocaine, in violation of 21 U.S.C. §§ 841(a)(1) and 841(b)(1)(A)(ii); possession with intent to distribute and distribution of cocaine base, in violation of  21 U.S.C. §§ 841(a)(1) and 841(b)(1)(A)(iii); and possession with intent to distribute and distribution of methamphetamine, in violation of  21 U.S.C. §§ 841(a)(1) and 841(b)(1)(A)(viii), is life in prison and a fine of up to $4 million.  The maximum statutory penalty for possession with intent to distribute and distribution of cocaine, in violation of 21 U.S.C. §§ 841(a)(1) and 841(b)(1)©, is 20 years in prison and a fine of up to $1milliion.  The maximum statutory penalty for possession with intent to distribute and distribution of cocaine, in violation of  21 U.S.C. §§ 841(a)(1) and 841(b)(1)(A)(ii); and for distribution of cocaine, in violation of 21 U.S.C. §§ 841(a)(1) and 841(b)(1)(B)(ii), is 40 years in prison and a fine of up to $2 million.  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. 
 
            In addition to those charged in the narcotics conspiracy, two defendants Armando Antonio Monroy, 48, of San Francisco, and Jorge Peraza-Rivas, 37, of San Francisco, were each charged in an indictment, issued on Jan. 10 and unsealed yesterday, that alleges one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud and two counts of wire fraud.  They face a maximum of 30 years in prison and a fine of the greater of $1 million or twice the gain or loss from the offense for each count.  Both defendants were arrested in San Francisco. 
 
            Twenty-three defendants were charged by criminal complaint on Jan. 23, 2012, in a related investigation in Seattle.  20 of them were arrested yesterday in the Seattle area. 
 
            The prosecution is the result of a four-year investigation by the Drug Enforcement Administration, Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigations, San Francisco Police Department, and Oakland Police Department.  In addition, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, San Mateo County Narcotics Task Force, the Daly City Police Department, the Richmond Police Department, the Southern Alameda County Major Crimes Task Force, the California Department of Justice Bureau of Investigations, the Alameda County Narcotics Task Force, the High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area, the U.S. Marshals Service, and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement Homeland Security Investigations assisted in the investigation.