NASHVILLE, Tenn. - May 16, 2019 - A federal grand jury yesterday, returned an eight-count indictment charging two illegal aliens with conspiracy to distribute cocaine and marijuana; illegal possession of firearms; possession of a firearms in furtherance of drug trafficking crimes; and being illegal aliens in possession of firearms; announced U.S. Attorney Don Cochran for the Middle District of Tennessee.
Jose Calderon, 19, aka, JoJo, of Mexico, and Brian Paradez, aka Bryant Myers, aka Bryan Josue Paredes-Nataren, 21, of Honduras, were charged in the indictment after an investigation by the Drug Enforcement Administration, which began in June 2018.
According to the indictment and court records, on July 28, 2018, agents were conducting an investigation into illegal drug trafficking at a bar on Murfreesboro Pike in Nashville. At approximately 3:00 a.m., agents saw Paredes exit the bar and get into the back seat of a vehicle, which left at a high rate of speed. Agents followed the car to an apartment complex on Glengarry Drive and watched as the vehicle backed into a parking space and turned off the lights. As agents approached, the vehicle made an evasive maneuver and vaulted from a concrete ledge to escape. Though the vehicle was damaged, it continued erratically on Murfreesboro Pike without lights until stopping at an apartment complex on West End Avenue, after which, all occupants fled on foot. Paredes was found hiding under a parked car a short distance away and was taken into custody. Agents later determined that the car belonged to Paredes and recovered from it a Ruger AR-15 rifle, two loaded handguns, and bags of cocaine and marijuana packaged for resale. Further investigation resulted in this indictment and both of these individuals are in federal custody.
If convicted, Calderon and Peredes faces a minimum of 10 years and up to life in prison, and deportation from the United States.
This case was investigated by the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration; the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives; the U.S. Department of Homeland Security-Immigration and Customs Enforcement; and the Metropolitan Nashville Police Department Gang Unit. Assistant U.S. Attorney Ahmed Safeeullah and Department of Justice Trial Attorney Matthew Hoff are prosecuting the case.
An indictment is merely an accusation. The defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law. # #
Source: U.S. Department of Justice, Office of the United States Attorneys
