FARGO - US Attorney Christopher C. Myers, along with US Attorney Billy J. Williams, District of Oregon, announced on Oct. 17, 2017, that Jian Zhang, 38, of China, was charged by an Indictment returned on September, 21, 2017, of the following offenses: (1) Conspiracy to Possess with Intent to Distribute and Distribute Controlled Substances and Controlled Substance Analogues Resulting in Serious Bodily Injury and Death; (2) Conspiracy to Import Controlled Substances and Controlled Substance Analogues into the United States Resulting in Serious Bodily Injury and Death; (3) Money Laundering Conspiracy to Conceal the Nature, Location, and Ownership of Proceeds of Specified Unlawful Activity; and (4) International Money Laundering Conspiracy; and (5) Continuing Criminal Enterprise.
The charges come as part of "Operation Denial," an Organized Crime and Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) investigation into the international trafficking of fentanyl and other lethal drugs, and was significantly aided by the national and international coordination led by the multi-agency Special Operations Division (S.O.D.) near Washington D.C. as part of "Operation Deadly Merchant." The investigation started in North Dakota on Jan. 3, 2015, with the overdose death in Grand Forks of 18-year-old Bailey Henke. Additional defendants charged in this Indictment with drug trafficking conspiracy include:
1. Jason Joey Berry, 34, Quebec, Canada;
2. Anthony Santos Gomes, 33, Davie, Florida;
3. Elizabeth Ton, 26, Davie, Florida;
4. Xuan Cahn Nguyen, 38, Quebec Canada;
5. Marie Um, 37, Quebec Canada;
6. Vannek Um, 39, Quebec, Canada;
7. Linda Van, 25, Quebec, Canada; and
8. Darius Ghahary, 48, Ramsey, New Jersey.
Additional defendants charged in Federal court as a result of this investigation include:
District of North Dakota
1. Daniel Vivas Ceron, 36, Columbia - awaiting trial currently set for February 8, 2018.
2. Jameson Robert Sele, 20, Grand Forks, ND - Pled guilty to Conspiracy to Distribute Controlled Substances and was sentenced on 7/27/15 to 36 months’ in federal prison.
3. Ryan Jon Jensen, 20, Grand Forks, ND - Pled guilty on 2/27/15 to Conspiracy to Distribute Controlled Substances Resulting in Serious Bodily Injury and Death; two Counts of Distribution of a Controlled Substance Resulting in Death; Distribution of a Controlled Substance Resulting in Serious Bodily Injury; and Money Laundering Conspiracy, and was sentenced on 2/2/2016 to 20 years in federal prison.
4. David Todd Noye Jr., 18, Grand Forks, ND - Pled guilty on 5/4/15 to Conspiracy to Distribute Controlled Substances and was sentenced on 1/25/2016 to serve 3 years and 3 months in federal prison.
5. Joshua Tyler Fulp, 20, Grand Forks, ND - Pled guilty on 6/23/15 to Conspiracy to Distribute Controlled Substances Resulting in Serious Bodily Injury and Death and was sentenced to 12 years in federal prison.
6. Kain Daniel Schwandt, 19, Grand Forks, ND - Pled guilty on 7/24/15 to Conspiracy to Distribute Controlled Substances and was sentenced on 1/25/2016 to serve 3 years and 6 months in federal prison.
7. Brandon Corde Hubbard, 40, Portland, OR - Indicted on charges of Conspiracy to Distribute Controlled Substances Resulting in Serious Bodily Injury and Death; Distribution of a Controlled Substance Resulting in Death; and Money Laundering Conspiracy and was sentenced on 07/13/2016 to serve life in federal prison.
8. Ronnie Lee Helms, 30, Acworth, GA - Indicted on charges of Conspiracy to Possess with Intent to Distribute and Distribution of a Controlled Substance and Controlled Substance Analogues Resulting in Serious Bodily Injury and Death. Jury trial is set for 3/7/2017.
9. Braden James Foley, 28, Olympia, WA - Pled guilty on 8/11/2016 to Conspiracy to Possess with Intent to Distribute and Distribution of a Controlled Substance and was sentenced on 11/21/2016 to serve 30 months in federal prison.
District of Oregon
1. Channing Lacey, 30, Portland, Oregon - Plead guilty on 3/28/17 to one Count of Distribution of a Controlled Substance Resulting in Serious Bodily Injury to three individuals and one Count of Distribution of a Controlled Substance Resulting in Death and was sentenced to 135 months imprisonment.
2. Carissa Marie Laprall, 25, Portland, Oregon - Plead guilty on 3/28/17 to three Counts of Distribution of a Controlled Substance Resulting in Serious Bodily Injury and is awaiting sentencing.
3. Steven Fairbanks Locke, 41, Portland, Oregon - Plead guilty on 6/14/17 to Use of a Communication Facility to Facilitate a Drug Offense and is awaiting sentencing.
These cases are being investigated by the Department of Homeland Security - Homeland Security Investigations; Drug Enforcement Administration; United States Postal Inspection Service; Grand Forks Narcotics Task Force; Royal Canadian Mounted Police; Portland, Oregon, Police Bureau - Drugs and Vice Division; Portland HIDTA Interdiction Task Force; Oregon State Police; and the Grand Forks Police Department. The principle mission of the OCDETF program is to identify, disrupt, and dismantle the most serious drug trafficking organizations and those primarily responsible for the nation’s illegal drug supply.
United States Attorney Christopher C. Myers (North Dakota), Assistant U.S. Attorney Scott Kerin (Oregon), and Adrienne Rose of the Department of Justice - Narcotics and Dangerous Drugs Section, are prosecuting the cases.
## The Indictment in this case is not evidence of guilt. The defendants are presumed innocent unless or until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt at trial. ##
Source: U.S. Department of Justice, Office of the United States Attorneys
