Six Charged In Southern Ohio With Running Heroin Ring
CINCINNATI, Ohio - Five Southern Ohio men and one woman have been charged by criminal complaint with conspiracy to possess and distribute more than 1,000 grams of heroin.
Benjamin C. Glassman, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio, and Timothy J. Plancon, the Special Agent-in-Charge of the DEA Detroit Field Division announced the charges, which were unsealed today.
Those charged include:
*Defendant is currently a fugitive
Gonzalez-Rosas and Garcia-Rosas are also charged with distribution of heroin. Monroy-Cuadros, Santos and Reyes are each also charged with possession with intent to distribute more than 100 grams of heroin. In addition, Santos and Reyes were each also charged with unlawful possession of firearms by an illegal alien and unlawfully possessing firearms in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime.
According to the affidavit filed in support of the criminal complaint, the six men were conspiring to operate a heroin-trafficking ring in the Cincinnati area from at least October 2017 until this week.
After DEA agents conducted a controlled purchase of heroin from Gonzalez-Rosas in September 2017, U.S. District Judge Michael R. Barrett authorized the interceptions of wire communications on cell phones used by the defendants. Communications led agents to believe Monroy-Cuadros was likely the source of supply for the group and Reyes-Valdes wired the group’s drug proceeds to Mexico. The farm on which Santos and Reyes lived in Oxford, Ohio was allegedly used as a stash location for the drug and drug proceeds.
Investigators intercepted calls and observed drug buys on numerous occasions between October 2017 and January 2018.
On January 9, troopers with Ohio State Highway Patrol discovered more than $132,446 in three separate locations in a vehicle. One of the locations included a plastic bag with more than $50,000 that is believed to have been delivered to the vehicle by Monroy-Cuadros.
On January 25, the Butler County Sheriff’s Office K9 unit conducted a traffic stop of Monroy-Cuadros. Following a positive indication by the K9, the vehicle was searched and $10,000 was discovered in a white plastic bag. Monroy-Cuadros was given a ticket for a moving violation.
Agents learned on Monday that Monroy-Cuadros and Reyes-Valdes were in Chicago. Agents from DEA Chicago observed Monroy-Cuadros board a bus, which was traveling to Mexico.
Search warrants obtained on Tuesday were executed at the farm in Oxford and a residence in Fairfield, Ohio. Several firearms - strategically located as-if for defense against home invasion - were found in the home in Oxford, as well as 300 grams of heroin. Agents discovered several money transfer receipts at the home in Fairfield.
Five of the defendants were arrested yesterday, including Monroy-Cuadros, who was arrested in Dallas when officers with the Dallas Police Department interdicted the bus. Garcia-Rosas remains at large.
U.S. Attorney Glassman commended the investigation of this case by the DEA with the assistance of DEA Chicago and Dallas, Immigration and Customs (ICE), Ohio State Highway Patrol, Butler County Sheriff’s Office, Springdale Police Department, Oxford Police Department, Fairfield Police Department and Dallas Police Department, as well as Assistant United States Attorney Karl P. Kadon, who is prosecuting the case.
A criminal complaint merely contains allegations, and defendants are presumed innocent unless proven guilty in a court of law.
