HOUSTON - The five leaders and eight other co-conspirators have been sentenced for their roles in one of the largest synthetic cannabinoids distribution networks in the United States, announced U.S. Attorney Ryan Patrick. The sentences ranged from 140 months in federal prison for a leader to probation for an hourly wage clerk who sold the drugs. 

The defendants were sentenced for their involvement in the manufacture, possession and distribution of synthetic cannabinoids commonly, but mistakenly, referred to as synthetic marijuana.

Today, U.S. District Judge Gray Miller ordered Khader Fahed Tanous, 52, of Manassas, Virginia, who distributed large amounts of synthetic cannabinoids to Houston area distributors, to 121 months imprisonment. Earlier this week, Judge Miller sentenced Muhammad Shariq Siddiqi, 48, of Sugar Land, to 140 months in prison. Siddiqi was a major manufacturer and distributor in the Houston area.

Also sentenced today was Ayisha Khurram, Siddiqi’s partner in manufacturing and distributing synthetic cannabinoids as was the de facto owner of the Smoke Zone Khalil Munier Khalil, 43, of Spring. The Smoke Zone was the most prolific distribution store front in the country for synthetic cannabinoids. Khalil was sentenced to a 135-month prison term while Khurram received a 95-month term of imprisonment.

Today, Judge Miller further sentenced Sayed Ali, 53, of Sugar Land; Abdalnour Izz, 33, of Houston; Steve Amira, 61, of Richmond; Mohammed Rafat Taha, 29, of Spring; and Frank Muratalla, 25, of Downey, California.

Siddiqi paid Ali to dilute, mix and apply the chemicals he supplied to the plant material. Izz delivered the drugs and collected payments for Tanous. Amira was the owner of Houston Beverage and a synthetic cannabinoids distributor. Ali received a sentence of 50 months, while Izz and Amira were each sentenced to 36 months.  

Muratalla, who worked for out of state manufacturers of synthetic cannabinoids here in Houston, and Taha, a clerk at Smoke Zone, who sold packages of synthetic cannabinoids were both sentenced to four-year-terms of probation.

Also sentenced this week were other distributors and managers involved in the distribution of synthetic cannabinoids in the Houston area. Those included Salem Fahed Tannous, 58, of Houston (Khader Tanous’s brother who collected money for him from synthetic narcotics sales), Ali Tafesh, 37, of Houston, who owned and distributed the drugs from a store named Azell Cell Phones, Hazim Hisham Qadus, 34, a permanent resident alien who resided in Houston and distributed drugs from a store named Moon Mart and Azell Cell Phones and Nagy Ali, 61 of Spring, the manager of Smoke Zone. Tannous was ordered to serve 49 months in prison, while Tafesh, Qadus will both serve sentences of 97 months. Nagy Ali received a 120-month-prison term for his role.

Throughout the three days of hearings and the handing down of these sentences, the court’s repeated theme was its concern that the dangerous drugs these defendants were manufacturing were being marketed and distributed to juveniles.

Siddiqi and Qadus are not U.S. Citizens and are expected to face deportation proceedings following the completion of their prison terms.

Omar Maher Alnasser, a 37-year old resident of Sugar Land and former University of Houston professor, was previously sentenced to 12 months and one day in prison for aiding and abetting an unlicensed money transmitting business.  He had admitted he was paid to wire more than $200,000 in U.S. currency from a bank in the United States to accounts in the country of Jordan.

The dismantling of this organizations and the convictions are the result of a multi-year, multi-agency federal investigation into one of the largest synthetic distribution networks in the nation and operated in the Houston area dubbed “We Can Hear You Now.” 

All 13 defendants sentenced this week were convicted of conspiring to distribute a variety of synthetic cannabinoids, all Schedule I controlled substances.  In committing the offense, several co-conspirators were accused in a scheme to defraud by marketing their products as though they were safe labeled the drugs as “potpourri” or “incense,” with some labels including false information such as “100% legal,” “lab certified” or “not for human consumption,” when in fact these products were dangerous drugs.

There are no standards for making synthetic cannabinoids which contain hazardous chemicals often imported from China that, when smoked or ingested, could have serious (sometimes deadly) side effects. Frequently, as in this case, various “brands” are mixed together in the same cement mixer, so two packets of a brand-named product may have the identical chemicals. Often, the same cement mixers are used for multiple batches of synthetic cannabinoids, so the “final” products may also be contaminated with other drugs or toxic chemicals from previous batches.

The amounts of synthetic cannabinoid in packages may also vary even within the same batches because the product is not mixed uniformly within the cement mixers. Therefore, “hot packages” with a higher concentration of the applied chemical are a common danger. According to the Center for Disease Control, synthetic cannabinoids may cause hallucinations, delusions, psychosis, suicidal thoughts and violent behavior.  The health problems associated with the drug include heart attack, stroke, kidney failure, breathing problems and muscle damage.

The drugs the defendants admitted to having distributed were all Schedule I drugs – substances or chemicals with no currently accepted medical use, have a high potential for abuse, are the most dangerous drugs of all scheduled drugs and have potential for severe psychological or physical dependence. The packaging was also typical of synthetic cannabinoids - contained colorful illustrations that targeted not only drug abusers, but also children and adolescents.

In connection with this case, authorities are still seeking Ziad Mahmoud Alsalameh, 56, of Pearland, and Aqil Khader, 33, of Houston. They are considered fugitives and warrants remain outstanding for their arrests. Anyone with information about their whereabouts are asked to contact DEA at 713-693-3000.

The Drug Enforcement Administration, Houston Police Department, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and IRS – Criminal Investigation conducted the four-year investigation with the assistance of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, Conroe Police Department, sheriff’s offices in Harris and Polk counties, Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission and the Montgomery County District Attorney’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorneys John Jocher and Nancy Herrera prosecuted the case.

           WASHINGTON – Rashid Lamont McFadden, 29, of Baltimore, Maryland, was sentenced yesterday in U.S. District Court to 114 months in prison for distributing videos depicting the violent rape of prepubescent children by adults, images of young children engaged in sadistic and masochistic acts, and images of children engaging in sexual acts with animals.            The sentence was announced by U.S. Attorney Edward R. Martin, Jr., and FBI Special Agent in Charge Sean T. Ryan of the Washington Field Office Criminal and Cyber Division.           McFadden pleaded guilty on May 29, 2024, to one count of distribution of child pornography. In addition to the 141-month prison term, U.S. District Court Judge Carl J. Nichols ordered McFadden to serve 15 years of supervised release. ­­­          According to court documents, on February 16, 2023, an undercover officer (UC) from the FBI Washington Field Office was monitoring an online messaging application where individuals met, discussed, and traded sexually explicit images and videos of children. The UC observed an individual identified as “tng6” post a video of child sexual exploitation to the group. Shortly thereafter, tng6 responded to a conversation about meeting other likeminded pedophiles and their children. At that point, the UC initiated a private chat with tng6, who was later identified as McFadden.           As the UC chatted with McFadden, McFadden continued to post child sex videos to the group. McFadden told the UC that he knew the children in the videos and had produced some of the videos himself. The UC then claimed to be the father of an 8-year-old daughter and that he would show McFadden images of the purported girl on FaceTime.           On February 17, 2023, Baltimore Police arrested McFadden on an unrelated matter. On February 21, law enforcement executed a search warrant at McFadden’s home in Baltimore and seized McFadden’s cell phone. McFadden refused to provide the passcode for the phone. Law enforcement reviewed the contents of McFadden’s cloud storage account and found several videos and images of children being sexually abused by adults.           McFadden is currently facing additional criminal charges for possession of child pornography in a separate case pending in the Circuit Court for Maryland in Baltimore County.           This case was investigated by the FBI Washington Field Office’s Child Exploitation and Human Trafficking Task Force in cooperation with the Metropolitan Police Department’s Youth Division, and the Baltimore Police Department. The task force is composed of FBI agents, along with other federal agents and detectives from northern Virginia and the District of Columbia. The task force is charged with investigating and bringing federal charges against individuals engaged in the exploitation of children and those engaged in human trafficking.           The matter was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Karen Shinskie.           This case was brought as part of the Department of Justice's Project Safe Childhood initiative. In February 2006, the Attorney General created Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative designed to protect children from online exploitation and abuse. Led by the U.S. Attorney's Offices, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.23cr0165

            WASHINGTON — A West Virginia man has been arrested for allegedly assaulting law enforcement and other charges related to his alleged conduct during the Jan. 6, 2021, breach of the U.S. Capitol. His alleged actions and the actions of others disrupted a joint session of the U.S. Congress convened to ascertain and count the electoral votes related to the 2020 presidential election.            Joseph Michael Adams, 41, of Hedgesville, West Virginia, is charged in a criminal complaint filed in the District of Columbia with a felony offense of assaulting, resisting, or impeding certain officers.  In addition to the felony, Adams is charged with misdemeanor offenses of entering or remaining in any restricted building or grounds, disorderly or disruptive conduct in a restricted building or grounds, engaging in an act of physical violence in a restricted building or grounds, disorderly conduct in a Capitol building or grounds, engaging in an act of physical violence in a Capitol building, and parading, demonstrating, or picketing in a Capitol building.            The FBI arrested Adams today in Martinsburg, West Virginia, and made his initial appearance in the Northern District of West Virginia.            According to court documents, on Jan. 6, 2021, in Washington, D.C., Adams was identified walking to the west side of the U.S. Capitol grounds within a large crowd of rioters. Adams eventually made his way toward the Northwest Lawn and later toward the east side of the Capitol. There, Adams approached the Rotunda Doors and entered into the Capitol building at approximately 3:01 p.m. wearing a motorcycle helmet and carrying a flag.               At approximately 3:00 p.m., multiple law enforcement officers entered the Rotunda and verbally commanded rioters to leave the building. It is alleged that Adams entered into the Rotunda at about 3:02 p.m. and resisted police efforts to clear the area of rioters. Court documents say that Adams is seen in body-worn camera footage resisting police attempts to push back the rioters in the Rotunda. At approximately 3:04 p.m., it is alleged that a police officer pushed Adams, and, in response Adams lowered his head and braced himself to resist being pushed further.            At about 3:05 p.m., police again attempted to push Adams back. Again, Adams allegedly lowered his head and forcibly pushed back against police. Adams then moved to his right and continued to use his head to push against another police officer. At approximately 3:06 p.m., Adams stepped back, creating space between himself and the line of police officers. He then continued to lower his head and hold the flagpole in front of him while facing police. Court documents say that throughout this time, officers are heard commanding the rioters to get back.            Only a few minutes later, it is alleged that Adams again used his head to push against police and repeatedly ignored commands to leave the area. Instead, Adams allegedly approached another police officer, lowered his shoulder, and forcibly pushed the officer with his shoulder. Court documents say that Adams continued to push against this police officer with his shoulder, head, and flagpole.            Adams exited the building at approximately 3:16 p.m. through the Rotunda doors.             This case is being prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia and the Department of Justice National Security Division’s Counterterrorism Section. Valuable assistance was provided by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of West Virginia.            This case is being investigated by the FBI’s Pittsburgh and Washington Field Offices. Adams was identified as BOLO (Be on the Lookout) #524 on the FBI’s seeking information images. Valuable assistance was provided by the United States Capitol Police and the Metropolitan Police Department.                                                            In the 45 months since Jan. 6, 2021, more than 1,532 individuals have been charged in nearly all 50 states for crimes related to the breach of the U.S. Capitol, including more than 571 individuals charged with assaulting or impeding law enforcement, a felony. The investigation remains ongoing.            Anyone with tips can call 1-800-CALL-FBI (800-225-5324) or visit tips.fbi.gov.            A complaint is merely an allegation, and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.   

HOUSTON – Two Venezuelan nationals and alleged members of the recently designated foreign terrorist organization known as the Tren de Aragua (TdA) have been arrested on charges filed in the Southern District of Texas (SDTX), announced U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei.Jesus Miguel Barreto Lezama, 29, who was residing in Houston, has now appeared in federal court in Houston.Also in custody is Briley Jesus Ballera Farias aka Derek, 32, who was arrested March 30 in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, where he made his initial appearance.A federal grand jury returned the indictment Jan. 29.  According to the allegations in the indictment, both men participated in a conspiracy, along with others, to import more than five kilograms of cocaine into the United States from Venezuela and Colombia. Barreto Lezama is also charged with importing nearly five kilograms of cocaine into the United States from Colombia between June 26, 2024, and July 3, 2024.If convicted, they face a up to life in federal prison and a possible $10 million maximum fine.The FBI and Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) conducted the investigation with the assistance of the Colombian National Police. FBI-Houston’s Safe Streets Gang Task Force made the Houston arrest with the assistance of the Houston Police Department, DEA, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and U.S. Marshals Service.  Assistant U.S. Attorneys Casey N. MacDonald and Anibal J. Alaniz are prosecuting the case along with Trial Attorney David C. Smith from the Department of Justice’s Joint Task Force Vulcan. This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces and Project Safe Neighborhood.This case is also part of JTFV, which was created in 2019 to destroy MS-13 and now expanded to target TdA. It is comprised of U.S. Attorney’s Offices across the country, including SDTX; Southern and Eastern Districts of New York; Districts of New Jersey, Utah, Massachusetts, Nevada, Alaska; Northern District of Ohio; Eastern District of Texas; Southern District of Florida; Eastern District of Virginia; Southern District of California; and the District of Columbia; as well as the Department of Justice’s National Security Division and the Criminal Division. Additionally, the FBI; DEA; Immigration and Customs Enforcement – Homeland Security Investigations; Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; U.S. Marshals Service; and Federal Bureau of Prisons have been essential law enforcement partners and spearheaded JTFV’s investigations.An indictment is a formal accusation of criminal conduct, not evidence. A defendant is presumed innocent unless convicted through due process of law.

HOUSTON – A 65-year-old resident of Seabrook has been ordered to federal prison following his conviction of receipt and possession of child pornography, announced U.S. Attorney Ryan K. Patrick.

Ocal John Miller is a former law enforcement officer, having served as chief of police in Martinsville, West Virginia; and city councilman and mayor pro tem for Seabrook. He pleaded guilty Oct. 3, 2019. 

Today, U.S. District Judge Alfred Bennett ordered Miller to serve 120 months on each count to run concurrently. In handing down the sentence, the court noted that it should send a message to society. Judge Bennett further commented that unfortunately Miller is not the first nor will he be the last to stand before him having committed child pornography-related offenses. The court imposed a $50,000 fine as well as a $10,000 special assessment per the Justice for Victims of Trafficking Act. Miller will also be required to pay restitution in an amount to be determined later and will serve 10 years on supervised release following completion of his prison term, during which time he will have to comply with numerous requirements designed to restrict his access to children and the internet. He must also register as a sex offender.

Miller came to the attention of law enforcement in June 2016 when the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC) sent multiple cybertips to the Houston Metro Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force.

The investigation revealed Miller was using Skype to receive and distribute child pornography images to others via the internet. Miller also used Dropbox and Kik Messenger to obtain and store child pornography. Based on information gathered during the investigation, authorities executed a federal search warrant for Miller’s home in Seabrook March 30, 2017. At that time, they seized a computer, iPhone and several digital storage devices. Forensic examination resulted in the discovery of more than 1,300 images and 1,000 videos containing child pornography.

Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations and police departments in Webster and Pearland conducted the investigation as part of the Houston Metro Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Sherri L. Zack is prosecuting the case, which was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood(PSC), a nationwide initiative the Department of Justice (DOJ) launched in May 2006 to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. U.S. Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section leads PSC, which marshals federal, state and local resources to locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children and identifies and rescues victims. For more information about PSC, please visit DOJ’s PSC page. For more information about internet safety education, please visit the resources tab on that page.