TOPEKA, KAN. – More than 50 people have been indicted on
federal charges as a result of a three-year investigation to identify
traffickers behind a rising tide of heroin, fentanyl and other drugs on the
streets of Manhattan, Kan., U.S. Attorney Stephen McAllister said.
“Fentanyl and heroin are a deadly combination,” said U.S.
Attorney Stephen McAllister. “Our goal is to save lives by disrupting the
pipelines bringing these and other poisons to the city Manhattan.”
OVERDOSE DEATH
Federal indictments filed last week and kept under seal
until now allege that 18-year-old Kansas State student Maxwell F. Dandaneu was
found dead Sept. 26, 2017, in his off-campus apartment from an overdose caused
by fentanyl. An indictment alleges Dandaneu got the drugs from a drug
trafficking organization made up of five conspirators who are among 54
defendants whose names appear in one of a 13 grand jury indictments.
Defendants Henry Clark, Sylvester Calvert, Michael Calvert,
James Toliver, and Blake Woodard are charged with conspiring to distribute
fentanyl and heroin resulting in Dandaneu’s overdose death, as well as other
charges. Woodward is charged with directly distributing the fentanyl to
Dandaneu that led to the fatal overdose.
DRUGS CHARGED
In addition to heroin and fentanyl, other drugs that
traffickers are accused of distributing include ecstasy, marijuana,
methamphetamine and hydrocodone.
CRIMES CHARGED
The indictments include charges of conspiracy to distribute
controlled substances resulting in bodily injury or death, distributing
controlled substances resulting in bodily harm or death, conspiracy to
distribute controlled substances, unlawful possession of a firearms in
furtherance of drug trafficking, unlawful possession of a firearm by a felon,
maintaining a drug involved premise, possession with intent to distribute a
controlled substance, making a false statement in the purchase of a firearm,
using Facebook Messenger in furtherance of drug trafficking and removal of
property to avoid seizure.
CHICAGO CONNECTION
Law enforcement officers called the investigation Operation
Chicago Connection, based on the fact that in 2016 investigators began to hear
talk on the streets of this college town about traffickers who some sources
called “the Chicago Boys.” In the following months, investigators worked to get
a clearer picture of what was going on. What they learned was that some
traffickers were making regular trips to Chicago to bring back heroin, fentanyl
and other drugs.
TAKEDOWN
Law enforcement officers were out in force Tuesday, serving
arrest warrants and search warrants in Manhattan as part of a federal takedown
that was one of the largest in state history. Defendants were scheduled to
begin making initial appearances in federal court in Topeka today.
DEFENDANTS
The following defendants were charged:
Indictment No. 1 (Nine defendants, conspiracy, overdose
death, heroin, fentanyl, and marijuana, $30,000 forfeiture)
Henry Clark, 42
Sylvester Calvert, Jr., 31, Manhattan, Kan.
Michael Clavert, 28, Manhattan, Kan.
James Toliver, 39, Manhattan, Kan.
Blake Woodward, 23
Kimberly Obrecht, 33
Robert Houston, Sr., 39
Prianna Baggett, 24, Manhattan, Kan.
Jeremy Richmond, 27
Indictment No. 2 (Five defendants, heroin, fentanyl,
firearms, $30,000 forfeiture)
Kevin
Henderson, 48, Topeka, Kan.
Kenneth
Shorter, 57, Manhattan, Kan.
Wayne
Ingram, 24
Quinton
Shorter, 65, Manhattan, Kan.
Shirley Moton, 60, Manhattan, Kan.
Indictment No. 3 (21 defendants, methamphetamine, heroin
firearms, $50,000 forfeiture)
Dontae
Patterson, 39
Michael
Walker, Jr.,26
Joseph
Hammond, 48, Manhattan, Kan.
Dawn
Cyphers, 41
Paul
Goodman, III, 48, Junction City, Kan.
Sasha
Soules-Jones, 31
Deanna
Curry, 44
Henry Jones,
33
Reginald
Carter, 35
Earnest Johnson, 55, Manhattan, Kan.
Mercyjazz
Goodridge, 25, Manhattan, Kan.
Derrick
Blea, 26
Jacob
Alexander, 25, Manhattan, Kan.
Scott
Alexander, 25
Austin
Rowzer, 26
Jerome
Glaspie, 48
Taylor
Hodges, 21
John Leroy
Cody Deem, 28
Elizabeth
Hoover, 27 Manhattan, Kan.
Nicholas
Hodges, 26, Saint George, Kan.
Luke
Johnson, 56
Indictment No. 4 (Seven defendants, heroin, $30,000
forfeiture)
Christopher Williams, 48, Manhattan, Kan.
Diana Moorman, 58, Manhattan, Kan.
Michael Murphy, 51, Ogden, KN.
Melissa Henderson, 36
Quinton Watts, 30
Allison Krosschell, 24, Manhattan, Kan.
Timothy Lanshaw, 26, Manhattan, Kan.
Indictment five (One defendant, firearms)
Frederick Swinson, 31
Indictment six (One defendant, heroin, fentanyl,
methamphetamine, drug involved premise)
John Thompson, 59, Manhattan, Kan.
Indictment seven (Four defendants, methamphetamine,
marijuana, hydrocodone, firearms, felonious use of a communication device)
Paige Jonas,
26, Manhattan, Kan.
Trevonn
Hall, 20, Ogden, Kan.
Alyssa
Hedmon, 28, Manhattan, Kan.
Eric Jerome
Tucker, 33
Indictment eight (One defendant, firearms, methamphetamine)
Daniel
Mainvlle, 35, Manhattan, Kan.
Indictment nine (One defendant, fentanyl, removal of
property to prevent seizure)
Chanel
Toliver, 32, Manhattan, Kan.
Indictment ten (One defendant, methamphetamine)
Damon Brown,
44, Westmoreland, Kan.
Indictment 11 (One defendant, heroin, felonious use of a
communication device)
Jason Simonds, 46, Manhattan, Kan.
Indictment 12 (One defendant, felonious use of a
communication device)
Jerah
Gasser, 26
Indictment
13 (One defendant, firearms)
James Atkinson, 50, Manhattan, Kan.
Upon conviction, the crimes in the 13 indictments carry the
following penalties:
Conspiracy
to distribute heroin resulting in bodily injury or death (Clark, S. Calvert, M.
Calvert, J. Toliver, B. Woodyard): Not less than 20 years in federal prison and
a fine up to $5 million.
Conspiracy
to distribute heroin resulting in bodily injury or death (K. Obrecht): Not less
than five years and not more than 40 years, and a fine up to $5 million.
Distributing heroin resulting in bodily injury or death (B. Woodyard):
Not less than 20 years and a fine up to $5 million.
Conspiracy
to distribute controlled substances: Up to 20 years and a fine up to $1
million.
Conspiracy
to distribute heroin and fentanyl: Not less than five years and not more than
40 years and a fine up to $5 million.
Unlawful
possession of a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking: Not less than five
years and a fine up to $250,000.
Conspiracy
to distribute methamphetamine: Not less than 10 years and a fine up to $10
million.
Unlawful
possession of a firearm by a felon: Up to 10 years and a fine up to $250,000.
Maintaining a drug involved premise: Up to 20 years and a fine up to
$500,000.
Possession
with intent to distribute methamphetamine: Not less than five years and not
more than 40 years and a fine up to $5 million.
Conspiracy
to make a false statement to obtain a firearm: Up to five years and a fine up
to $250,000.
Using
Facebook Messenger in furtherance of drug trafficking: Up to four years and a
fine up to $250,000.
Removal of
property to prevent seizure: Up to five years and a fine up to $250,000.
The case was jointly led by the Riley County Police
Department and Drug Enforcement Administration, with the assistance of the
Riley County Attorney’s Office, the Junction City Police Department, the Geary
County Sheriff’s Department, the Kansas Highway Patrol, the FBI, the U.S.
Marshals Service, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the
United States Postal Inspection Service, the Kansas Bureau of Investigation, the
Pottawatomie County Sheriff’s Department, the Junction City Police Department.
In all cases, defendants are presumed innocent until and
unless proven guilty. The indictments merely contain allegations of criminal
conduct.
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