Tulsa, OK –
Acting United States Attorney Thomas Scott Woodward announced that Federal
search and arrest warrants were served yesterday in the Tulsa area resulting in the arrests of eight Mexican nationals for participating in a wide ranging drug trafficking conspiracy.
The following individuals made an initial appearance in Federal magistrate's court in Tulsa on Wednesday at 2:00 p.m. (except for defendant Ruben Garcia, who was arrested in Mesquite, TX). They are charged with Conspiracy to Possess With Intent to Distribute and to Distribute Methamphetamine and Cocaine (18 U.S.C. 21 846).
Ruben Garcia, male, age 29, listed residence in Tulsa and Mesquite, TX.
Mauricio Banuelos, male, age 25, listed residence in Tulsa.
Alejandra Romero, female, age 23, listed residence in Tulsa.
Rubi Garcia, female, age 21, listed residence in Jenks.
Leonel Ledezma, male, age 26, listed residence in Tulsa
Juan Antonio Martinez, male, age unk, listed residence in Tulsa
Oscar Palacios, male, age 24, listed residence in Tulsa.
Gilberto Rivera, male, age unk, listed residence in Owasso.
In addition to the arrests, law enforcement officers seized approximately 20 pounds
of crystal meth, approximately two pounds of cocaine, six firearms and several thousand dollars.
The above local arrests and seizures are part of Project Coronado, a coordinated
nation-wide law enforcement initiative of the U.S. Department of Justice Special Operations Division (SOD). Attorney General Eric Holder held a news conference in Washington D.C. today announcing that more than 3,000 agents and officers had taken part in a two-day operation in 19 states, including the Northern District of Oklahoma, which has resulted in the arrests of 303 individuals, the seizure of approximately $3.4 million in U.S. currency, hundreds of pounds of narcotics and many vehicles and firearms.
The prosecution of this case in Federal court in Tulsa will be handled by Assistant
U.S. Attorneys Allen J. Litchfield and Robert T. Raley of the Organized Crime Drug
Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) for the Northern District of Oklahoma. The local
arrests were made by officers and agents from the DEA, ICE, BIA, Tulsa PD-SID, Tulsa County SO, Sapulpa PD, Glenpool PD, Owasso PD, Jenks PD and the Creek Lighthorse Tribal Police.
A complaint filed by the U.S. Attorney's Office in Federal court is one method of
charging a defendant with alleged violations of Federal law, which must be proven in a court of law beyond a reasonable doubt to overcome the defendant's presumption of innocence.