Assistant U. S. Attorneys Andrew Haden (619) 546-6961 and Seth Askins (619) 546-6692
NEWS RELEASE SUMMARY – January 5, 2018
SAN DIEGO – Deandre Cook today became the last of 25 gang members and associates to be sentenced as part of a prolific gun and drug trafficking operation that sold large quantities of methamphetamine and heroin in southeast San Diego neighborhoods. Cook was sentenced by U.S. District Judge John Houston to 84 months in prison.
Today’s sentencing brings the case to a close with the successful convictions of all 25 defendants. Last month, Judge Houston sentenced the lead defendant in the conspiracy, Fili Usini, to 14 years in prison.
The two original 2016 indictments were the product of a year-long investigation. Over 1,500 grams of methamphetamine, 248 grams of heroin and six firearms were also seized as part of the investigation. The two indictments charged four different conspiracies with overlapping players, including individuals with ties to criminal street gangs such as Skyline, the Samoan Bloods, Kalaban, the Stateside Islanders, the Paradise Hills Locos, Logan Heights, Old Town National City, National City Southside Mob, Trust No Soul and Lincoln Park. Most of the defendants were selling methamphetamine on the streets of southeast San Diego. Other defendants were involved in the importation of methamphetamine and heroin from Mexico.
All 25 defendants charged in the case pleaded guilty and were convicted of drug trafficking. Three defendants were also charged with and pleaded guilty to being felons in possession of firearms. Judge Houston imposed prison terms on all 25 defendants, ranging from a low of 14 months to the high of 168 months for Usini. All but six defendants received prison terms in excess of five years.
The case was the product of a coalition of local, state, and federal agents, led by Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Gang Investigations Group and the San Diego Police Department.
“Methamphetamine is wrecking lives and communities, and this successful prosecution brings an immediate halt to the dangerous environment created by these 25 gang members and associates,” said U.S. Attorney Adam L. Braverman. “This case is a huge success story in our efforts to restore peace and safety to San Diego neighborhoods. We are going to continue our attack on those gang members who are committing violence on the streets of San Diego.”
"HSI Special Agents will continue to work with other law enforcement partners and prosecutors to eliminate the dangers that gang members bring up on our communities and put a stop to their criminal enterprises," said David Shaw, Special Agent in Charge of HSI in San Diego. “We will continue to work diligently to investigate, and ultimately dismantle these transnational street gangs and bring them to justice.”
“This operation and collaborative effort is yet another example of how well San Diego County law enforcement agencies partner together to fight crime to keep our neighborhoods safe", said San Diego Police Chief Shelley Zimmerman. "We will not tolerate criminal activity and we will continue to work together with all of our communities to make San Diego the safest City in the nation.”
United States v. Ortiz, et al, 16-CR-874-JAH
Defendants
FRANCISCO JAVIER ORTIZ-LUNA (1) –75 months prison
JAVIER HERNANDEZ (2) – 37 months prison
YARELI MAGNOLIA NORIEGA (3) – 78 months prison
JASMINE EUNIQUE RIPP (4) – 46 months prison
JULIO ALBERTO ONTIVEROS (5) – 46 months prison
Summary of Charges
Title 21, U.S.C., Secs. 952, 960, 963 Conspiracy to Import Controlled Substances - Life
Title 21, U.S.C., Secs. 841(a)(1) and 846 B Conspiracy to Distribute Methamphetamine - Life
Title 21, U.S.C., Secs. 952 and 960 Importation of Methamphetamine – 20 years
Title 21, U.S.C., Sec. 841(a)(1)- Possession of Methamphetamine with Intent to Distribute – 40 years
Title 21, U.S.C., Secs. 952 and 960 B Importation of Heroin – 40 years
Title 21, U.S.C., Sec. 841(a)(1)- Possession of Heroin with Intent to Distribute – 20 years
United States v. Usini, et al., 16-CR-875-JAH
Defendants
FILI USINI (1) – 168 months prison
VIRGILIO SORIANO VILLEGAS (2) – 87 months prison
CARL DELANDO BRANDON (3) – 75 months prison
DEANDRE COOK (4) – 84 months prison
FRANC LESTER BULARAN (5) – 110 months prison
ANTHONY VELARDE (6) – 120 months prison
KRISTOFFER UMALI MACALMA (7) – 110 months prison
BICENTENNIAL POUTOA (8) – 110 months prison
VICTOR CERVANTES (9) – 120 months prison
JORGE ARMANDO SALAS (10) – 90 months prison
MAURICE SCOTT (11) – 70 months prison
JAMES GILLESPIE (12) – 63 months prison
KEITH IAULUALO (13) – 54 months prison
LONNIE DARNELL ANDERSON (14) – 60 months prison
TERRENCE ANDERSON (15) – 70 months prison
PATRICK JEFFREY DIBBLE (16) – 85 months prison
KEMONDRE HAMILTON (17) – 40 months prison
RICHARD BELCHER (18) – 60 months prison
LAVONN WILLIAM HALL (19) – 75 months prison
ANITA VILLALBA (20) – 14 months prison
Summary of Charges
Title 21, U.S.C., Secs. 841(a)(1) and 846 B Conspiracy to Distribute Methamphetamine – Life
Title 21, U.S.C., Sec. 841(a)(1)- Possession of Methamphetamine with Intent to Distribute – Life
Title 18, U.S.C., Sec 922(g)(1) – Felon in Possession of a Firearm – 10 years
Title 21, U.S.C., 853, Title 18, U.S.C., 924(d), and Title 28, U.S.C., 2461(c) – Criminal Forfeiture
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
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