United States Department of Justice

United States Attorney Joseph P. Russoniello
Northern District of California

FEDERAL TASK FORCE DISMANTLES METHAMPHETAMINE RING

Fourteen Indicted By Federal Grand Jury for Conspiracy; Approximately 200 Law Enforcement Personnel Join Forces to Conduct Multiple Searches and Arrests

SAN FRANCISCO – United States Attorney Joseph P. Russoniello announced that a federal grand jury in San Francisco has indicted fourteen individuals for conspiracy to distribute and possess with the intent to distribute methamphetamine. Eleven individuals were arrested early this morning, in a set of coordinated raids conducted by over 200 federal and state law enforcement officers. One individual was arrested late yesterday afternoon. Along with the arrest warrants, the agents and local officers also executed ten federal search warrants in Northern California. The indictment, filed on February 19, 2008, was unsealed today.

The investigation commenced in 2006 when federal and local law enforcement agents uncovered an alleged methamphetamine trafficking organization operating mainly from San Jose, California. This group distributed multi-pound quantities of methamphetamine during the conspiracy period alleged in the indictment. During the course of the investigation, law enforcement officers seized over six pounds of pure methamphetamine.

The arrests and seizures culminate nearly two years of intensive investigation by a multi-agency Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force involving the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Department of Homeland Security - Immigration and Customs Enforcement, the San Mateo County Narcotics Task Force, the State of California Bureau of Narcotic Enforcement, the San Jose Police Department, the San Francisco Police Department, and the U.S. Attorney’s Office.

In the early morning hours of February 27, 2008, approximately 200 law enforcement officers executed ten federal search warrants in San Jose, Gilroy, and San Francisco in search of evidence of the charged conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine. As a result of the execution of the warrants, law enforcement seized approximately 2.5 pounds of methamphetamine, $45,000 in U.S. currency, and various drug paraphernalia.

The defendants named in the indictment are:

Guillermo Alejandro Zaragoza, 25, of San Jose, California

Eduardo Zaragoza, 24, of San Jose, California

Manuel Corona Contreras, 51, of San Jose, California

Richard Aldo Parodi, 32, of San Francisco, California

Martin Estrada Zaragoza, 43, of San Jose, California

Roberto Zaragoza Ruiz, 29, of San Jose, California

Lorenzo Carbajal, 46, of San Jose, California

David Blake Weld, 43, of San Francisco, California

David Bejines Quezada, 33, of Gilroy, California

Juan Zaragoza, 30, of Stockton, California

Martel Murillo Valencia, 34, of San Jose, California

Angelica Maria Rodriguez, 33, of San Jose, California

Paul Anthony Kozina, 37, of San Jose, California

Irma Corona, 44, of San Jose, California

The indictment charges one count of conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine, in violation of Title 21, United States Code, Section 846, and seven counts of distribution and possession of methamphetamine with intent to distribute, in violation of Title 21, United States Code, Section 841. The indictment also contains a forfeiture allegation requiring the defendants to forfeit to the United States all property constituting and derived from any proceeds the defendants obtained as a result of their criminal activity.

The maximum statutory penalty for the conspiracy to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine as charged in count one of the indictment is life imprisonment and a $4,000,000 fine. The mandatory minimum sentence for the charge is ten years in prison. The maximum statutory penalty for the distribution and possession with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine, or 500 grams or more of a mixture or substance containing a detectable amount of methamphetamine, as charged in counts three, four, five and seven of the indictment, is life imprisonment and a $4,000,000 fine. The mandatory minimum sentence for the charge is ten years in prison. The maximum statutory penalty for the distribution and possession with intent to distribute 5 grams or more of methamphetamine, or 50 grams or more of a mixture or substance containing a detectable amount of methamphetamine, as charged in counts two, six and eight of the indictment, is forty years and a $2,000,000 fine. The mandatory minimum sentence for the charge is five years in prison. 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, Title 18, United States Code, Section 3553.

Ten defendants made their initial appearance in federal court in San Francisco, California today at 12:00 p.m. before the Hon. Edward M. Chen, United States Magistrate Judge. One defendant made his initial appearance in federal court in Sacramento, California today at 2:00 p.m. before the Hon. Kimberly Mueller, United States Magistrate Judge. The defendants are all held currently without bail, and immigration detainers have been placed on four defendants. The defendants are scheduled for appearance before the District Court at 1:30 p.m. on March 12, 2008 for status before United States District Court Judge Phyllis J. Hamilton. In addition, one defendant is scheduled for an initial appearance in federal court in San Francisco, California tomorrow at 9:30 a.m, defendant Lorenzo Carbajal is currently in state custody, and defendants Roberto Zaragoza Ruiz and Richard Aldo Parodi remain at-large.

Nicole M. Kim and Stephen Jigger are the Assistant U.S. Attorneys who are prosecuting the case with the assistance of paralegals Lakisha Holliman and Louis Statti, and legal technician Miche Sharpe.

Please note, an indictment contains only allegations against an individual and, as with all defendants, these defendants must be presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.

United States Attorney Russoniello will hold a press conference regarding this and other matters at 9:30 a.m. on Friday, February 29, 2008 on the 11th floor at 450 Golden Gate Ave., San Francisco, CA. Video and audio recording equipment will be allowed.

Further Information:             

A copy of this press release may be found on the U.S. Attorney’s Office’s website at www.usdoj.gov/usao/can.