Federal Drug Charges Filed Against 25 in Johnson, Douglas Counties

More details expected within a month, U.S. Attorney says

KANSAS CITY, KAN. — Federal drug charges have been filed against more than two dozen defendants in Johnson and Douglas counties, U.S. Attorney Barry Grissom said today.

A criminal complaint filed in U.S. District Court in Kansas City, Kan., alleges twenty five defendants were part of a drug organization that from April 2008 through June 20, 2012, distributed high grade marijuana in Douglas and Johnson counties. The single–count complaint alleges all the defendants conspired to distribute and possess with intent to distribute a total of more than 1,000 kilograms of marijuana.

The federal Drug Enforcement Administration, the Douglas County Sheriff’s Office, the Johnson County Sheriff’s Office and other law enforcement agencies made arrests and served search warrants Wednesday in the case.

U.S. Attorney Barry Grissom said Wednesday he expects to be able to release more details about the investigation within a month.

Defendants named in the criminal complaint are:

•Los Rovell Dahda, 30, Lawrence, Kan.

•Roosevelt Rico Dahda, 30, Lawrence, Kan.

•Sadie Jolynn Brown, 25, Lawrence, Kan.

•Justin Cherif Pickel, 32, San Lorenzo, Calif.

•David James Essman, 35, Lawrence, Kan.

•Amos Moses Hurst, 31, Seattle, Wash.

•Phillip Villereal Alarcon, 43, Hayward, Calif.

•Jeffery David Paviva, 39, Union City, Calif.

•Mark Lee Romero, 31, Lawrence, Kan.

•Samuel Villeareal, II, 32, Overland Park, Kan.

•Peter Park, 41, Olathe, Kan.

•Wayne Suhan Swift, 39, Hayward, Calif.

•Charles Thomas Kreisler, 38, Kansas City, Mo.

•James Michael Soderling, 42, Fort Bragg, Calif.

•Simon Andrew Tyson, 27, Kansas City, Mo.

•Trent Jordan Percival, 32, Overland Park, Kan.

•Chad William Pollard, 34, Lenexa, Kan.

•Jason Marcus Hansen, 38, Lenexa, Kan.

•Daniel Mark Sieber, 31, Lawrence, Kan.

•Justin Jerome Mercer, 35, Olathe, Kan.

•Jacob Paul Forbes

•Chad Eugene Bauman, 33, Lawrence, Kan.

•Carey Lynn Willming, 36, Lawrence, Kan.

•Michael Shane Witt, 37, Olathe, Kan.

•Stephen Mallison Rector, 50, Kansas City, Kan.

If convicted, the defendants face a maximum penalty of 10 years in federal prison and a fine up to $250,000.

Agencies involved in the investigation and the arrest of defendants include the Douglas County Sheriff’s Office, the Johnson County Sheriff’s Office, the Lawrence Police Department, the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and the Internal Revenue Service. Assistant U.S. Attorney Terra Morehead is prosecuting.