Acting United States Attorney Jennifer Klemetsrud Puhl announced that a multi-state law enforcement operation has led to the arrest of nine individuals. These arrests followed their indictment by a federal grand jury in the District of North Dakota for involvement in a methamphetamine trafficking conspiracy linked to the Almighty Latin King Nation criminal street gang.
The defendants include Ricardo Jaquez from Oakes, North Dakota; Israel David Flores, also known as Izzy, and Michelle Lee Fuller from Audubon, Minnesota; Jose Manuel Jaquez, known as Cash, and Jacob Edward Lambert from Oakes, North Dakota; Ashley Marie Bleecker from Belcourt, North Dakota; Alfredo Hernandez Jaquez, referred to as Freddy, and Wesley Wayne Tolleson from Wells, Minnesota; and Jason Leonard Gulden from Aberdeen, South Dakota.
All have appeared in federal court in North Dakota. If convicted, they face up to life imprisonment with a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years.
This case is part of Operation Crown Down under the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF), targeting methamphetamine trafficking across multiple states. OCDETF aims to identify and dismantle high-level drug traffickers and related criminal organizations through a collaborative approach involving various law enforcement agencies.
It is important to note that an indictment does not equate to guilt. The defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond reasonable doubt at trial.
The investigation involves several agencies including the Drug Enforcement Administration; Federal Bureau of Investigation; Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; Bureau of Indian Affairs' Division of Drug Enforcement; Homeland Security Investigations; Oakes Police Department; North Dakota Bureau of Criminal Investigation; Cass County Drug Task Force; Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension among others.
Assistant United States Attorney Matthew P. Kopp is prosecuting the case.
