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Last updated on Sunday, May 12, 2013
(FORT WAYNE) - Federal authorities announced Friday that 18 people have been arrested and two more are still on the loose in connection with a large scale cocaine trafficking operation that stretched from Fort Wayne to Mexico. US Attorney David Capp warned anyone doing illegal drugs that “We are coming after you.”
Details were announced at an afternoon news conference at the E. Ross Adair Federal Building.
Capp, the US Attorney for the Northern District of Indiana called the operation a "large scale conspiracy" to sell cocaine from July of 2011 to February of 2013.
The investigation started in March of 2011 when an investigation by the Fort Wayne Safe Streets Task Force ujnder the direction of the FBI determined there was a large scale narcotics distribution ring operating in northeast Indiana. Pedro Salud Rubio-Garcia was identified as a drug supplier in the Steuben County area and with the use of several court approved telephone wiretaps, other suspects were identified.
Of the 18 arrests, 14 took place in Fort Wayne, two in Las Vegas and two in Michigan.
Authorities believe Armando Herrera, one of the two men who have yet to be arrested, is in Mexico. They wouldn't comment on the whereabouts of the other wanted man, Darwin Altamirano.
The public is being asked to help find the two fugitives. Anyone with information is asked to call the Fort Wayne office of the FBI at 260-426-5331.
The FBI believes the drug ring would bring kilos of cocaine from Mexico to Chicago and then Fort Wayne.
Capp indicated that the cocaine operation was connected to a methamphetamine operation in LaGrange, Indiana that was allegedly operating out of a taco stand.
On Thursday, the FBI raided more than five different locations Thursday.
NewsChannel 15 learned details of two of the locations that were raided Thursday. According to state property records, one of the men arrested Thursday, Damien Dubose, 37, is linked to 1606 St. Louis Avenue. That property was one of the more than five that was raided. Another one of the properties that was searched through Thursday morning - 3909 Oliver Street - is documented as having been involved in the use or distribution of cocaine.
The FBI and other police agencies raided 117 E. DeWald Street, 3009 Oliver Street, 1024 E. Paulding Road, 3026 Pennsylvania Avenue, and 1606 St. Louis Avenue.
Listed in the Indictments were:
ALLEN COUNTY:
Juan Corona, conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute cocaine; use of a telephone to facilitate in a conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute cocaine.
Damian Dubose, 37, conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute cocaine; distributing cocaine; use of a telephone to facilitate in a conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute cocaine.
Leobardo Gaona, conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute cocaine; use of a telephone to facilitate in a conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute cocaine.
Armando Gonzales-Gutierrez, conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute cocaine; use of a telephone to facilitate in a conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute cocaine.
Armondo Herrera-Velasquez, aiding in a conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute cocaine.
Elida Herrara, conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute cocaine; maintaining a place, 7810 Wohoma Drive, Fort Wayne, for the purpose of distributing and using cocaine.
Manuel Herrara, conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute cocaine; maintaining a place, 7810 Wohoma Drive, Fort Wayne, for the purpose of distributing and using cocaine.
Maria Patricia Herrera, aiding in a conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute cocaine.
Gerardo Martinez-Gaston, conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute cocaine; distributing cocaine (two counts); use of a telephone to facilitate in a conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute cocaine.
Efren Paniagua-Pizano, aiding conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute cocaine.
Cynthia L. Sanchez, 42, distributing a controlled substance.
Jerry Sell, 43, conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute cocaine; use of a telephone to facilitate in a conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute cocaine.
Luis Tapia, aiding conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute cocaine; maintaining a place, 3009 Oliver St., Fort Wayne, for the purpose of distributing and using cocaine.
STEUBEN COUNTY:
Jose Noe Perea Casteneda, aiding in a conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute cocaine and methamphetamine.
Pedro Salud Rubio-Garcia, conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute cocaine; distribution of cocaine(3 counts); selling a firearm to a convicted felon (4 counts); distributing methamphetamine; and aiding in the distribution of cocaine.
Guadalupe C. Luna, distribution of cocaine.
Juan Pena, conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute cocaine; use of a telephone to facilitate in a conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute cocaine.
ELSEWHERE:
John Bennett, 35, of Sturgis, Mich., conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine; use of a telephone to facilitate in a conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine.
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