BATON ROUGE, LA - United States Attorney Walt Green announced today the unsealing of a series of federal grand jury indictments in Operation I Spy, an extensive investigation into a drug trafficking network operating in the Baton Rouge region.
The investigation is another effort by the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) Program which was established in 1982 to mount a comprehensive attack against organized drug traffickers. Today, the OCDETF Program is the centerpiece of the United States Attorney General’s drug strategy to reduce the availability of drugs by disrupting and dismantling major drug trafficking organizations and money laundering organizations and related criminal enterprises. The OCDETF Program operates nationwide and combines the resources and unique expertise of numerous federal, state, and local agencies in a coordinated attack against major drug trafficking and money laundering organizations.
The following nine individuals have been indicted:
• Ronrico Terrell, Sr., also known as “Ronrico Howard," “Co," “Shorty," and “Rico," age 38, of Baton Rouge, Louisiana, is charged with conspiracy to distribute and possess with the intent to distribute cocaine and cocaine base; distribution of cocaine; possession with the intent to distribute cocaine and cocaine base; unlawful use of a communications facility; possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime; and forfeiture. If convicted, Terrell faces a mandatory minimum of 10 years and up to life imprisonment, up to 5 years of supervised release following imprisonment, forfeiture of criminal proceeds and property used to facilitate his crimes, and a $13,500,000 fine. He is in custody.
• Rahkeyah Howard, also known as “Boo," age 33, of Baton Rouge, Louisiana, is charged with conspiracy to distribute and possess with the intent to distribute cocaine and cocaine base; distribution of cocaine; possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime; and forfeiture. If convicted, she faces a mandatory minimum of 10 years and up to life imprisonment, up to 5 years of supervised release following imprisonment, forfeiture of criminal proceeds and property used to facilitate her crimes, and a $6,250,000 fine. She is in custody.
• Howard S. Golphin, age 35, of Pine Grove, Louisiana, is charged with conspiracy to distribute and possess with the intent to distribute cocaine and cocaine base; possession with the intent to distribute cocaine and cocaine base; unlawful use of a communications facility; and forfeiture. If convicted, Golphin faces a mandatory minimum of 5 years and up to 84 years imprisonment, 4 years of supervised release following imprisonment, forfeiture of criminal proceeds and property used to facilitate his crimes, and a $10,250,000 fine. He is in custody.
• Danniesa Hughes Sanders, age 35, of Pine Grove, Louisiana, is charged with conspiracy to distribute and possess with the intent to distribute cocaine and cocaine base; possession with the intent to distribute cocaine and cocaine base; and forfeiture. If convicted, Sanders faces a mandatory minimum of 5 years and up to 80 years imprisonment, 4 years of supervised release following imprisonment, forfeiture of criminal proceeds and property used to facilitate her crimes, and a $10,000,000 fine. She is a fugitive.
• Johntha Rochon Williams, age 32, of Baton Rouge, Louisiana, is charged with distribution of cocaine and cocaine base and forfeiture. If convicted, Williams faces a mandatory minimum of 5 years and up to 60 years imprisonment, 4 years of supervised release following imprisonment, forfeiture of criminal proceeds and property used to facilitate his crimes, and a $6,000,000 fine. He is in custody.
• Bristen LaCour, also known as “Rudy," age 24, of Baton Rouge, Louisiana, is charged with conspiracy to distribute cocaine base, distribution of cocaine base, and forfeiture. If convicted, LaCour faces up to 60 years imprisonment, 3 years of supervised release following imprisonment, forfeiture of criminal proceeds and property used to facilitate his crimes, and a $3,000,000 fine. He is in custody.
• Troy A. Bell, age 25, of Baton Rouge, Louisiana, is charged with conspiracy to distribute cocaine base, distribution of cocaine base, and forfeiture. If convicted, Bell faces up to 60 years imprisonment, 3 years of supervised release following imprisonment, forfeiture of criminal proceeds and property used to facilitate his crimes, and a $3,000,000 fine. He is in custody.
• Michael C. Finley, age 43, of Baton Rouge, Louisiana, is charged with distribution of cocaine base and cocaine and forfeiture. If convicted, Finley faces up to 60 years imprisonment, 3 years of supervised release following imprisonment, forfeiture of criminal proceeds and property used to facilitate his crimes, and a $3,000,000 fine. He is in custody.
• Eric O’Neal Selders, age 42, of Baton Rouge, Louisiana, is charged with conspiracy to distribute and possess with the intent to distribute cocaine, possession with the intent to distribute cocaine, and forfeiture. If convicted, Selders faces up to 40 years imprisonment, 3 years of supervised release following imprisonment, forfeiture of criminal proceeds and property used to facilitate his crimes, and a $2,000,000 fine. He is in custody.
U.S. Attorney Green stated: “My office, together with our federal, state, and local partners, will continue to focus our energies and resources on eradicating drug trafficking organizations and the violence that comes with them. To be clear, the dangerous drug dealer will find no safe haven within the federal criminal justice system. My great appreciation to the hardworking team of agents and prosecutors who contributed to this important operation."
Joseph Shepard, the Assistant Special Agent-in-Charge of the New Orleans Division of the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration, stated: “Simply put, today’s indictments are the result of a successful collaborative effort by federal, state, and local law enforcement to pursue justice. The indictments should also serve as a reminder that DEA, along with its partners, remains deeply committed to aggressively and swiftly pursuing those who violate the federal drug laws."
Chief Carl Dabadie of the Baton Rouge City Police Department stated: “This operation reflects the close coordination and cooperation among federal, state, and local law enforcement in the fight against drugs and violence in the Baton Rouge region. We look forward to continuing the united front against crime."
District Attorney Hillar Moore of the Nineteenth Judicial District stated: “Today’s announcement is yet another example of how the region’s strong federal, state, and local law enforcement partnerships are combating violent drug organizations at every level."
This operation is being handled by the U.S. Attorney’s Office, the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration, and the Baton Rouge City Police Department, with assistance from the East Baton Rouge Sheriff’s Office, the Livingston Parish Sheriff’s Office, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), the West Baton Rouge Parish Sheriff’s Office, the Ascension Parish Sheriff’s Office, the Gonzales Police Department, the Louisiana State Police, and the U.S. Marshals Service. These matters are being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Cam Le.
NOTE: An indictment is an accusation by the Grand Jury. The defendants are presumed innocent until and unless adjudicated guilty at trial or through guilty pleas
Source: U.S. Department of Justice, Office of the United States Attorneys
