The United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Texas has announced the indictment of 28 individuals allegedly operating a major drug distribution ring trafficking cocaine, marijuana, and methamphetamine through the district to Oklahoma, Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, and beyond to New Jersey and New York. A federal grand jury returned a three-count indictment charging them with conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute one or more controlled substances. State and federal investigators then executed arrest warrants on 23 of the 28 indicted defendants.
Count One of the indictment alleges that, since sometime in the past decade, 16 of the defendants have conspired to distribute over five kilograms of cocaine in the Eastern District of Texas and elsewhere. Count Two alleges that, over the same time period, 19 of the defendants have conspired to distribute over 1,000 kilograms of marijuana in the district and elsewhere. Count Three alleges that, over the same time period, seven of the defendants have conspired to distribute over 500 grams of methamphetamine in the district and elsewhere.
The defendants all face a minimum of ten years to life in federal prison if convicted on any one of the three drug conspiracy counts. This case follows an extensive joint investigation over more than two years by the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force. The principal purposes of the task force are to identify, disrupt, and dismantle the most serious drug trafficking, weapons trafficking, and money laundering organized criminal enterprises primarily responsible for the nation’s illegal drug supply.
Obviously, each of these defendants is in trouble deep and might make good use of help from an experienced drug charge defense lawyer. A defense lawyer may review the evidence and help the accused individual consider what options for plea bargains might be available.
Source: The Potpurri, “28 indicted in East Texas drug trafficking conspiracy“, August 03, 2013
