Eighteen
Defendants Charged in Ongoing Investigation; Cocaine, Heroin, and Nearly $1
Million in Cash Seized
SPRINGFIELD, IL—A Paxton, Illinois man,
Eddi Ramirez, 30, has been charged as a central figure in an investigation of
cocaine trafficking networks allegedly responsible for distributing large
amounts of cocaine in Central Illinois, specifically, Springfield and Decatur.
Ramirez, aka “Migo,” is charged in a criminal complaint along with eight other
defendants; separate complaints charge six others, all with alleged ties to
Ramirez. Three additional defendants were previously charged. The ongoing
investigation has resulted in the seizure of more than 10 kilograms of cocaine,
three kilograms of heroin, and approximately $855,716 in cash; identification
of an alleged drug “stash house” at 76 E. Court Street, in Decatur, Illinois,
and arrests in Memphis, Tennessee; Texas; and Central Illinois.
The charges are the result of an
Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) investigation known as
Operation Tres Ciudades (Three Cities) (Springfield, Decatur, and Paxton),
announced today by U.S. Attorney Jim Lewis, Central District of Illinois; with
Sangamon County State’s Attorney John Milhiser; and participating task force
agencies including Glenn Haas, Resident Agent in Charge, Drug Enforcement
Administration, Springfield Resident Office; David A. Ford, Special Agent in
Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation, Springfield Division; Chief Todd
Walker, Decatur Police Department; Chief Robert Williams, Springfield Police
Department; the Illinois State Police, represented by Master Sergeant Aaron
Fullington, Central Illinois Enforcement Group; the Illinois Attorney General’s
Office; and the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Timothy A. Bass is prosecuting the cases in the Central
District of Illinois, Springfield, and Urbana Divisions. U.S. Immigration and
Customs Enforcement Homeland Security Investigations also provided assistance
in the investigation.
Operation Tres Ciudades defendants
charged in federal criminal complaints include:
■Eddi Ramirez, aka “Migo,” 30, of the
200 block of E. Pine Street, Paxton, Illinois, arrested August 31, 2012, near
Staunton, Illinois, after returning from Memphis, Tennessee; ordered detained
in federal law enforcement custody. Ramirez’s brother, Jesus, was convicted
earlier this month in Sangamon County of two counts of attempted murder of a
police officer and single counts of armed violence and possession of more than
900 grams of cocaine with intent to deliver.
■Felipe Quionones, Jr., 31, of Houston,
Texas, arrested on August 31, 2012, in Memphis, Tennessee
■Juan H. Vorrath, 55, of Houston, Texas,
arrested in Texas, scheduled for initial appearance on October 1, in federal
court in Urbana
■Erica Kulak, 23, of Elgin, Illinois,
arrested August 31, 2012, in Elgin, Illinois, ordered detained
■Teravena Kapraun, aka “Tera,” “Jen,”
21, of Decatur, Illinois, arrested on September 11; released on bond
■Jourdan Hullinger, 20, of Springfield,
Illinois, arrested August 31, released on bond
■Jose Aguilar-Mendez, 21, last known
address Decatur, Illinoid, a fugitive
■Juan Alvarado, 31, last known address
Decatur, Illinois, a fugitive
■Geraro Gamboa, 20, last known address
Rantoul, Illinois, a fugitive
■James Lampley, 55, of the 3700 block of
N. Woodford, Decatur, arrested Aug. 31,waived detention; ordered detained
■Leonardo Aldape-Hernandez, 22, of
Calumet City, Illinois, arrested September 1; ordered detained
■Guadalupe Onate-Herrera, 28, of the
1500 block of Wentworth Ave., Calumet City, Illinois, arrested September 1;
ordered detained
■Alex Gardner, 28, of the 2900 block of
S. State St., Springfield, Illinois, arrested September 7, 2012; released on
bond on September 13
■Anthony Cunningham, aka “Tone,” 26, of
Manor Ct., Springfield, Illinois, arrested September 14; waived detention and
ordered detained
■Gabriel Lopez-Saucedo, aka “Cuz,” 27,
of Elgin, Illinois, arrested September 18, waived detention; ordered detained
According to the affidavits filed in
support of the complaints, the investigation known as Operation Tres Ciudades
(Three Cities) began in January 2012. The affidavits provide details of the
defendants’ alleged trafficking activities, including providing Ramirez with
cocaine; receiving cocaine from Ramirez for distribution; and assisting Ramirez
to further the conspiracy to distribute cocaine to others. The affidavits
detail numerous incidents and intelligence gathered by law enforcement from
sources and surveillance during the course of the investigation:
According to the affidavits, early in
the investigation, agents identified an alleged stash house at 76 E. Court
Drive, Decatur, Illinois, used by Ramirez and his couriers to store and package
cocaine and through which to move money. On numerous occasions, agents observed
Ramirez, Hullinger, Kulak, Kapraun, Gamboa, Alvarado, and Aguilar at the
residence. Agents observed a pattern of drug trafficking activity at the
residence which remained fairly quiet when cocaine was not there, but activity
increased significantly when a shipment of cocaine arrived, including visitors
in and out at all times of the day and night.
Agents developed information that
Ramirez was in contact with Quionones and on March 4, 2012, when agents
attempted to interview Quionones as he was leaving a Red Roof Inn in Calumet
City. Quionones allegedly discarded a black duffel bag. Officers searched the
bag and discovered $245,716 in cash and a metal press used for forming kilogram
bricks of cocaine. According to the affidavit, such presses are often used
after cocaine is “cut” or diluted with another substance to repackage and make
the cocaine appear uncut, in kilogram quantities.
In late March 2012, agents received
information that two vehicles allegedly connected to Ramirez were at a Houston
residence: a black Pontiac Grand Prix with Illinois license plates, previously
owned by Ramirez and registered to Kapraun, used to deliver loads and believed
to have a trap in it; and a vehicle rented by Ramirez in Decatur with a
Minnesota license plate. According to the affidavit, on March 28, the Grand
Prix, driven by Kapraun, was stopped in Bowie County, Texas, by the Texas
Department of Public Safety. Kapraun consented to a search of the vehicle, and
officers located a trap compartment under the back seat that contained 11
bundles of cash—wrapped in cellophane with fabric softener sheets placed
between the cellophane wrapping and the currency—in $10,000 increments,
totaling $110,000, and three cell phones.
In April 2012, surveillance and
investigative information identified Vorrath, an El Expresso bus driver, as a
subject of the investigation, believed to allegedly be transporting drugs for
Quionones. On June 10, 2012, an El Expresso bus driven by Vorrath was stopped
in Splendora, Montgomery County, Texas. Officers recovered 7,261 grams of
cocaine; 3,355 grams of heroin; and 89 grams of black tar heroin inside the
driver’s sleeper compartment.
In another incident alleged in the
affidavit, on June 25, 2012, agents observed a rental car driven by Kulak at
the alleged stash house in Decatur. Agents observed Kulak exit the house and
place something in the trunk. She then drove to Springfield and parked in a lot
at the Town and Country shopping center, where a Jeep driven by Alex Gardner
parked next to Kulak. Gardner entered the car driven by Kulak, and Kulak
retrieved a bag from the trunk and provided it to Gardner. When a Springfield
police officer activated overhead lights to stop Gardner as he was leaving the
parking lot, Gardner’s vehicle turned into the parking lot of the Rocket Stop
on S. MacArthur, traveled through the drive-thru lane, pulled around the back
out of sight of officers, and eventually stopped. Agents eventually recovered
two kilograms of cocaine and a cell phone that were lying on the ground. The
Rocket Stop security cameras show the driver throwing a bag out of the driver’s
side window into the secured fenced-in area. Agents allegedly recovered
fingerprints identified as those of Kulak, Gardner, and Aguilar-Mendez on the
outer packaging and those of Saucedo on the inner packaging.
In August 2012, agents received
information that Ramirez was going to Calumet City to pick up cocaine.
According to the affidavit, Aldape-Hernandez allegedly met Ramirez in the
parking lot of a Best Buy in Calumet City where agents observed Aldape exchange
bags with Ramirez. On September 1, 2012, Onate-Herrera and Aldape-Hernandez
were arrested at a residence in Calumet City where agents recovered
approximately $500,000.
In the affidavit supporting the criminal
complaint against Lopez-Saucedo, Ramirez allegedly received a kilogram of
cocaine from Aldape-Hernandez on August 22, 2012, which Ramirez allegedly sent
to Lopez-Saucedo with Kulak. According to the affidavit, agents established
surveillance in the area of Kulak’s residence in Elgin and observed Kulak
arrive in a rental vehicle and meet with Lopez-Saucedo in the street. Kulak
allegedly retrieved an item in a bag from the trunk of her vehicle and handed
it to Lopez. Following the exchange, police officers conducted a traffic stop
on Lopez and recovered one kilogram of cocaine in a plastic bag from the back
seat of Lopez’s vehicle.
Three additional Springfield, Illinois
men with ties to Ramirez have previously been charged: Orlandon L. Roberson,
37, of the 1400 block of E. Reynolds Street; Bernardo Shanklin, 31, of the 1300
block of E. Washington St.; and, Michael A. Gant, 32, of the 1200 block of E.
Ash Street.
Roberson was indicted on September 12,
2012, on a charge of possession with intent to distribute 28 grams or more of
crack cocaine. Roberson was ordered detained and trial has been scheduled on
November 6.
Shanklin was charged with two counts of
distribution of cocaine and one count of possession with intent to distribute
cocaine in February 2012. On May 30, 2012, Shanklin entered an open plea of
guilty to the three counts; sentencing is scheduled on October 18, 2012.
Gant was charged in February 2012 with
possession with intent to distribute cocaine and possession of a firearm in
furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. Gant pled guilty on May 31, and
sentencing is scheduled on October 5.
Ramirez, Quionones, Vorrath, Kulak,
Kapraun, Hullinger, Aguilar-Mendez, Alvarado, and Gamboa are each charged in
one complaint with conspiracy to distribute five or more kilograms of cocaine
from January to August 2012. Aldape-Hernandez and Onate-Herrera are charged in
a separate complaint with conspiracy to distribute five or more kilograms of
cocaine from January to August 2012. In another complaint, Gabriel Lopez
Saucedo is charged with conspiracy to distribute five or more kilograms of
cocaine from January to August 2012.
If convicted, the offense of conspiracy
to distribute five or more kilograms of cocaine carries a statutory mandatory
minimum penalty of 10 years to life in prison. If a defendant has one or more
prior felony drug convictions, the mandatory minimum penalty is 20 years to
life in prison. With two or more prior felony drug convictions, the statutory
penalty is life in prison.
Lampley is charged with conspiracy to
distribute and distribution of cocaine. If convicted, he faces penalties of 10
years to life in prison.
Gardner is charged in a separate
complaint with one count of conspiracy to distribute and possess with the
intent to distribute at least 500 grams of cocaine. If convicted, the offense
carries a statutory mandatory minimum penalty of five years up to 40 years in
prison. If a defendant has one or more prior felony drug convictions, the
mandatory minimum penalty is 10 years to life in prison.
Cunningham is charged with distribution
of at least 28 grams of crack cocaine. If convicted, the offense carries a
statutory mandatory minimum penalty of five years up to 40 years in prison. If
a defendant has one or more prior felony drug convictions, the mandatory
minimum penalty is 10 years to life in prison.
Members of the public are reminded that
a complaint is merely an accusation; the defendants are presumed innocent
unless proven guilty.
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