Score:   1
Docket Number:   D-UT  2:19-cr-00066
Case Name:   USA v. Myers
  Press Releases:
SALT LAKE CITY – Thirty-three members and associates of the Norteño street gang allegedly responsible for distributing drugs around the Salt Lake City area are facing federal charges in recently unsealed complaints filed in federal court.  During the investigation, agents seized methamphetamine and heroin headed to Salt Lake City from drug cartels in Mexico and drug proceeds from Utah headed south to cartels in Mexico.

U.S. Attorney for Utah John W. Huber, DEA District Agent in Charge Brian S. Besser, ATF Special Agent in Charge Debbie Livingston, IRS-Criminal Investigation Assistant Special Agent in Charge Tyler R. Hatcher, Salt Lake County Sheriff Rosie Rivera, and U.S. Marshal Matt Harris announced the charges today. The Salt Lake Area Metro Gang Unit assisted with the case.

The arrests in this case follow a coordinated investigation involving federal and local law enforcement partners, including the ATF, the DEA, IRS-Criminal Investigation, the Salt Lake Area Metro Gang Unit, the Salt Lake County Sheriff’s Office, and the U.S. Marshals Service’s VFAST

Twenty-seven individuals are charged in one complaint. Six other individuals are charged in five separate complaints.

The charges are the result of an investigation that started in June 2018 when the Metro Gang Unit and the ATF began targeting drug and firearms trafficking activities of Salt Lake City gang members, specifically Norteños.  DEA joined the investigation in August 2018, according to the complaint.

As noted in the complaint, gang investigators documented Utah’s first Norteño group in the mid-1980s, followed by several other sub-sets in the early 1990s.  Unaligned or independent street gangs began associating under the Norteño umbrella in the early 2000s.  According to the complaint, the Salt Lake Valley has approximately 10 active Norteño sub-sets, with approximately 100-150 active Norteño gang members.  Norteños in the Salt Lake Valley have been responsible for drive-by shootings, aggravated assaults, robberies, and homicides, the complaint says.

As a part of this proactive investigation, agents used court-authorized investigative tools to learn that Joe Gomez aka Norte Joe, age 32, and Denny Kandt aka Casper, age 41, were working with Mexican drug cartel members to distribute drugs originating from cartels in Mexico in and around the Salt Lake Valley, the complaint alleges.

The complaint alleges Gomez received shipments of methamphetamine and heroin sent by Mexico-based drug traffickers identified as Pedro LNU (Last Name Unknown) and Luis LNU and a Los Angeles-based drug trafficker referred to as UM4192 in the complaint.

The complaint also alleges Kandt, a Salt Lake City-based drug trafficker, supplied Gomez with methamphetamine. Gomez and Kandt supplied drugs to various Salt Lake City-based sub-distributors.  Other Salt Lake City distributors, on occasion, supplied Gomez with drugs, the complaint alleges.

During the investigation and the execution of search warrants at several locations, agents seized approximately 30 pounds of methamphetamine, 2 pounds of heroin, and more than 19 firearms.

Investigators have identified 26 distributors or couriers involved in Gomez’s organization. Many of these distributors are known gang members or gang affiliates.  Many are associated with sub-sets of the Norteño gang. 

Throughout the investigation, agents intercepted communications indicating that representatives for the Mexico-based drug traffickers stayed at Gomez’s residence, while drugs were being distributed, to ensure that proceeds were collected and turned over to Pedro LNU and Luis LNU. Agents conducted a number of controlled drug purchases from Gomez and Kandt.

During the course of the investigation, agents seized both drugs and money from this alleged drug trafficking organization.  Agents have seized drug proceeds headed to cartels in Mexico, as well as heroin and methamphetamine headed to Salt Lake County originating from cartels in Mexico. 

For example, during the investigation, agents learned that on October 17, 2018, Gomez sent Jessica Rice and Angel Cordova to Los Angeles to pick up 20 pounds of methamphetamine and half a kilogram of heroin provided by Pedro LNU sand Luis LNU.  Based on the evidence gathered during the investigation, agents seized this delivery of 20 pounds of methamphetamine and a half-kilogram of heroin.  Gomez received drug quantities of this level with some regularity throughout the investigative time period, sometimes on a monthly basis. 

On another occasion, agents seized drug proceeds in the form of cash that was destined to arrive in the hands of the Mexican cartel.  Some $19,820 in drug proceeds were interdicted on November 1, 2018, near Nephi, Utah. Investigators believe these seizures represent a fraction of the drug trafficking carried out by Gomez and his associates during the course of this investigation.

The complaint alleges the defendants were engaged in a typical drug trafficking scheme involving:

Importation of drugs from Mexico into the United States

Transportation of drugs to a destination area (Salt Lake City)

Distribution of drugs to a re-distributors who distribute the drugs throughout the community

Collection and transportation of drug proceeds

 27 DEFENDANTS CHARGED IN US v GOMEZ, ET AL  CONSPIRACY COMPLAINT 

 Count 1:         Conspiracy to distribute Methamphetamine

Potential sentence of life in prison with a 10-year mandatory minimum, $10 million fine, and 5 years of supervised release

 

                        (These individuals are charged in both conspiracy counts) 

Joe Gomez aka Norte Joe, age 32

Denny Kandt aka Casper, age 41

Leticia Chidester, age 48

Trevor Marsh, age 55

Jessica Rice, age 43

Angel Trudy Cordova,age 37

David Calderon aka Menace, age 29

Joshua Lee Kendall aka Criminal, age 32

Melquiadez Ramirez aka Thumper, age 26

Michele Vincent Gatti aka Mike, age 45

Sulayman Sarr aka Africa, age 32

Zachariah Matthew Coles aka Zig Zag, age 43

Lisa Nicole Valdez Garcia, age 31

Steven Edward Manolito, age 32

Patrick Austin, age 50

Danial Movahhed aka Maniac, age 32

Jerry Lewis Jackson, age 56

Mark Russell Cordova, age 36

Tony Devaughn Linam aka Hoodlum, age 36

David Soto-Acosta aka Droops, age 23

Nicholas Dean MacNeil aka Nico, age 28

Ashley Marie Rodriquez, age 30

Roy Pearson, age 42  

Dee Dee Cordova, age 47

                       (These two individuals are charged in this count only)  

Sarah Ruth Gordon, age 31

Mayra Alejandra Gomez, age 35 Count 2:         Conspiracy to distribute heroin

Potential sentence of life in prison with a 10-year mandatory minimum, $10 million fine, and 5 years of supervised release           

 (These individuals are charged in both conspiracy counts) 

Joe Gomez aka Norte Joe, age 32

Denny Kandt aka Casper, age 41

Leticia Chidester, age 48

Trevor Marsh, age 55

Jessica Rice, age 43

Angel Trudy Cordova,age 37

David Calderon aka Menace, age 29

Joshua Lee Kendall aka Criminal, age 32

Melquiadez Ramirez aka Thumper, age 26

Michele Vincent Gatti aka Mike, age 45

Sulayman Sarr aka Africa, age 32

Zachariah Matthew Coles aka Zig Zag, age 43

Lisa Nicole Valdez Garcia, age 31

Steven Edward Manolito, age 32

Patrick Austin, age 50

Danial Movahhed aka Maniac, age 32

Jerry Lewis Jackson, age 56

Mark Russell Cordova, age 36

Tony Devaughn Linam aka Hoodlum, age 36

David Soto-Acosta aka Droops, age 23

Nicholas Dean MacNeil aka Nico, age 28

Ashley Marie Rodriquez, age 30

Roy Pearson, age 42  

Dee Dee Cordova, age 47

 (This individual is charged in this count only) 

Colton McBride aka Lil Bandit, age 26SIX INDIVIDUALS CHARGED IN FIVE INDIVIDUAL COMPLAINTS

Rudy Garcia aka Rascal, age 29, is charged in a complaint with distribution of methamphetamine and felon in possession of firearm.  He faces up to 40 years in prison for the drug count with a five-year mandatory minimum and up to 10 years for the firearm count.  

 

Billie Len Collins, age 34, is charged in a complaint with distribution of methamphetamine. She faces up to 40 years in prison with a five-year mandatory minimum sentence.

 

Davis Toki aka T-Down, age 38, is charged in a complaint with distribution of methamphetamine. He faces up to 40 years in prison with a five-year mandatory minimum sentence.

 

Rex Myers aka Lazy, age 39, is charged in a complaint with felon in possession of a firearm. He faces up to 10 years in prison.

 

Travis Benjamin Torres aka Shorty, age 41, and Tessie Shallamar Montoya, age 37, are charged in a complaint with distribution of methamphetamine and felon in possession of a firearm.  They face up to 40 years in prison with a five-year mandatory minimum sentence for the drug count.  The firearm count has a potential 10 years sentence.

 

(Indictments will being filed in these five cases later today.)

 

Arrest warrants are pending for Coles and Jackson.  Austin, Dee Dee Cordova, Mayra Alejandra Gomez and Sarr have been released.  All other defendants are in custody pending trial.  

 

The defendants are from the Salt Lake County area.

 

Complaints are not findings of guilt.  Individuals charged in complaints are presumed innocent unless or until proven guilty in court.

 

Docket (0 Docs):   https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1OsgzGEwyu96uotsSfgGAR493lOS738qWkw3nVm9rGNU
  Last Updated: 2023-10-20 10:37:40 UTC
Description: The fiscal year of the data file obtained from the AOUSC
Format: YYYY

Description: The code of the federal judicial circuit where the case was located
Format: A2

Description: The code of the federal judicial district where the case was located
Format: A2

Description: The code of the district office where the case was located
Format: A2

Description: Docket number assigned by the district to the case
Format: A7

Description: A unique number assigned to each defendant in a case which cannot be modified by the court
Format: A3

Description: A unique number assigned to each defendant in a case which can be modified by the court
Format: A3

Description: A sequential number indicating whether a case is an original proceeding or a reopen
Format: N5

Description: Case type associated with the current defendant record
Format: A2

Description: Case type associated with a magistrate case if the current case was merged from a magistrate case
Format: A2

Description: A concatenation of district, office, docket number, case type, defendant number, and reopen sequence number
Format: A18

Description: A concatenation of district, office, docket number, case type, and reopen sequence number
Format: A15

Description: The docket number originally given to a case assigned to a magistrate judge and subsequently merged into a criminal case
Format: A7

Description: A unique number assigned to each defendant in a magistrate case
Format: A3

Description: The status of the defendant as assigned by the AOUSC
Format: A2

Description: A code indicating the fugitive status of a defendant
Format: A1

Description: The date upon which a defendant became a fugitive
Format: YYYYMMDD

Description: The date upon which a fugitive defendant was taken into custody
Format: YYYYMMDD

Description: The date when a case was first docketed in the district court
Format: YYYYMMDD

Description: The date upon which proceedings in a case commenced on charges pending in the district court where the defendant appeared, or the date of the defendant’s felony-waiver of indictment
Format: YYYYMMDD

Description: A code used to identify the nature of the proceeding
Format: N2

Description: The date when a defendant first appeared before a judicial officer in the district court where a charge was pending
Format: YYYYMMDD

Description: A code indicating the event by which a defendant appeared before a judicial officer in the district court where a charge was pending
Format: A2

Description: A code indicating the type of legal counsel assigned to a defendant
Format: N2

Description: The title and section of the U.S. Code applicable to the offense committed which carried the highest severity
Format: A20

Description: A code indicating the level of offense associated with FTITLE1
Format: N2

Description: The four digit AO offense code associated with FTITLE1
Format: A4

Description: The four digit D2 offense code associated with FTITLE1
Format: A4

Description: A code indicating the severity associated with FTITLE1
Format: A3

Description: The FIPS code used to indicate the county or parish where an offense was committed
Format: A5

Description: The date of the last action taken on the record
Format: YYYYMMDD

Description: The date upon which judicial proceedings before the court concluded
Format: YYYYMMDD

Description: The date upon which the final sentence is recorded on the docket
Format: YYYYMMDD

Description: The date upon which the case was closed
Format: YYYYMMDD

Description: The number of days from the earlier of filing date or first appearance date to proceeding date
Format: N3

Description: The number of days from proceeding date to disposition date
Format: N3

Description: The number of days from disposition date to sentencing date
Format: N3

Description: The code of the district office where the case was terminated
Format: A2

Description: A code indicating the type of legal counsel assigned to a defendant at the time the case was closed
Format: N2

Description: The title and section of the U.S. Code applicable to the offense that carried the most severe disposition and penalty under which the defendant was disposed
Format: A20

Description: A code indicating the level of offense associated with TTITLE1
Format: N2

Description: The four digit AO offense code associated with TTITLE1
Format: A4

Description: The four digit D2 offense code associated with TTITLE1
Format: A4

Description: A code indicating the severity associated with TTITLE1
Format: A3

Description: The code indicating the nature or type of disposition associated with TTITLE1
Format: N2

Description: The number of months a defendant was sentenced to prison under TTITLE1
Format: N4

Description: A code indicating whether the prison sentence associated with TTITLE1 was concurrent or consecutive in relation to the other counts in the indictment or information or multiple counts of the same charge
Format: A4

Description: The number of months of probation imposed upon a defendant under TTITLE1
Format: N4

Description: A period of supervised release imposed upon a defendant under TTITLE1
Format: N3

Description: The fine imposed upon the defendant at sentencing under TTITLE1
Format: N8

Description: The total prison time for all offenses of which the defendant was convicted and prison time was imposed
Format: N4

Description: The total fine imposed at sentencing for all offenses of which the defendant was convicted and a fine was imposed
Format: N8

Description: A count of defendants filed including inter-district transfers
Format: N1

Description: A count of defendants filed excluding inter-district transfers
Format: N1

Description: A count of original proceedings commenced
Format: N1

Description: A count of defendants filed whose proceedings commenced by reopen, remand, appeal, or retrial
Format: N1

Description: A count of defendants terminated including interdistrict transfers
Format: N1

Description: A count of defendants terminated excluding interdistrict transfers
Format: N1

Description: A count of original proceedings terminated
Format: N1

Description: A count of defendants terminated whose proceedings commenced by reopen, remand, appeal, or retrial
Format: N1

Description: A count of defendants pending as of the last day of the period including long term fugitives
Format: N1

Description: A count of defendants pending as of the last day of the period excluding long term fugitives
Format: N1

Description: The source from which the data were loaded into the AOUSC’s NewSTATS database
Format: A10

Description: A sequential number indicating the iteration of the defendant record
Format: N2

Description: The date the record was loaded into the AOUSC’s NewSTATS database
Format: YYYYMMDD

Description: Statistical year ID label on data file obtained from the AOUSC which represents termination year
Format: YYYY

Data imported from FJC Integrated Database
Magistrate Docket Number:   D-UT  2:19-mj-00103
Case Name:   USA v. Myers
Docket (0 Docs):   https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/15BliLs6nbDDs3Iab9y0rnu5Vd-bKLnVsKw2d_qssPHc
  Last Updated: 2023-10-20 10:38:08 UTC
Description: The fiscal year of the data file obtained from the AOUSC
Format: YYYY

Description: The code of the federal judicial circuit where the case was located
Format: A2

Description: The code of the federal judicial district where the case was located
Format: A2

Description: The code of the district office where the case was located
Format: A2

Description: Docket number assigned by the district to the case
Format: A7

Description: A unique number assigned to each defendant in a case which cannot be modified by the court
Format: A3

Description: A unique number assigned to each defendant in a case which can be modified by the court
Format: A3

Description: A sequential number indicating whether a case is an original proceeding or a reopen
Format: N5

Description: Case type associated with the current defendant record
Format: A2

Description: Case type associated with a magistrate case if the current case was merged from a magistrate case
Format: A2

Description: A concatenation of district, office, docket number, case type, defendant number, and reopen sequence number
Format: A18

Description: A concatenation of district, office, docket number, case type, and reopen sequence number
Format: A15

Description: The docket number originally given to a case assigned to a magistrate judge and subsequently merged into a criminal case
Format: A7

Description: A unique number assigned to each defendant in a magistrate case
Format: A3

Description: The status of the defendant as assigned by the AOUSC
Format: A2

Description: A code indicating the fugitive status of a defendant
Format: A1

Description: The date upon which a defendant became a fugitive
Format: YYYYMMDD

Description: The date upon which a fugitive defendant was taken into custody
Format: YYYYMMDD

Description: The date when a case was first docketed in the district court
Format: YYYYMMDD

Description: The date upon which proceedings in a case commenced on charges pending in the district court where the defendant appeared, or the date of the defendant’s felony-waiver of indictment
Format: YYYYMMDD

Description: A code used to identify the nature of the proceeding
Format: N2

Description: The date when a defendant first appeared before a judicial officer in the district court where a charge was pending
Format: YYYYMMDD

Description: A code indicating the event by which a defendant appeared before a judicial officer in the district court where a charge was pending
Format: A2

Description: A code indicating the type of legal counsel assigned to a defendant
Format: N2

Description: The title and section of the U.S. Code applicable to the offense committed which carried the highest severity
Format: A20

Description: A code indicating the level of offense associated with FTITLE1
Format: N2

Description: The four digit AO offense code associated with FTITLE1
Format: A4

Description: The four digit D2 offense code associated with FTITLE1
Format: A4

Description: A code indicating the severity associated with FTITLE1
Format: A3

Description: The FIPS code used to indicate the county or parish where an offense was committed
Format: A5

Description: The date of the last action taken on the record
Format: YYYYMMDD

Description: The date upon which judicial proceedings before the court concluded
Format: YYYYMMDD

Description: The date upon which the final sentence is recorded on the docket
Format: YYYYMMDD

Description: The date upon which the case was closed
Format: YYYYMMDD

Description: The number of days from the earlier of filing date or first appearance date to proceeding date
Format: N3

Description: The number of days from proceeding date to disposition date
Format: N3

Description: The number of days from disposition date to sentencing date
Format: N3

Description: The code of the district office where the case was terminated
Format: A2

Description: A code indicating the type of legal counsel assigned to a defendant at the time the case was closed
Format: N2

Description: The title and section of the U.S. Code applicable to the offense that carried the most severe disposition and penalty under which the defendant was disposed
Format: A20

Description: A code indicating the level of offense associated with TTITLE1
Format: N2

Description: The four digit AO offense code associated with TTITLE1
Format: A4

Description: The four digit D2 offense code associated with TTITLE1
Format: A4

Description: A code indicating the severity associated with TTITLE1
Format: A3

Description: The code indicating the nature or type of disposition associated with TTITLE1
Format: N2

Description: The number of months a defendant was sentenced to prison under TTITLE1
Format: N4

Description: A code indicating whether the prison sentence associated with TTITLE1 was concurrent or consecutive in relation to the other counts in the indictment or information or multiple counts of the same charge
Format: A4

Description: The number of months of probation imposed upon a defendant under TTITLE1
Format: N4

Description: A period of supervised release imposed upon a defendant under TTITLE1
Format: N3

Description: The fine imposed upon the defendant at sentencing under TTITLE1
Format: N8

Description: The total prison time for all offenses of which the defendant was convicted and prison time was imposed
Format: N4

Description: The total fine imposed at sentencing for all offenses of which the defendant was convicted and a fine was imposed
Format: N8

Description: A count of defendants filed including inter-district transfers
Format: N1

Description: A count of defendants filed excluding inter-district transfers
Format: N1

Description: A count of original proceedings commenced
Format: N1

Description: A count of defendants filed whose proceedings commenced by reopen, remand, appeal, or retrial
Format: N1

Description: A count of defendants terminated including interdistrict transfers
Format: N1

Description: A count of defendants terminated excluding interdistrict transfers
Format: N1

Description: A count of original proceedings terminated
Format: N1

Description: A count of defendants terminated whose proceedings commenced by reopen, remand, appeal, or retrial
Format: N1

Description: A count of defendants pending as of the last day of the period including long term fugitives
Format: N1

Description: A count of defendants pending as of the last day of the period excluding long term fugitives
Format: N1

Description: The source from which the data were loaded into the AOUSC’s NewSTATS database
Format: A10

Description: A sequential number indicating the iteration of the defendant record
Format: N2

Description: The date the record was loaded into the AOUSC’s NewSTATS database
Format: YYYYMMDD

Description: Statistical year ID label on data file obtained from the AOUSC which represents termination year
Format: YYYY

Data imported from FJC Integrated Database
F U C K I N G P E D O S R E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E