Seven Defendants Sentenced for Cocaine and Marijuana Trafficking in Operation Ghostbusters

MAR 10 -- JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. – John F. Wood, United States Attorney for the Western District of Missouri, announced that seven co-defendants were sentenced in federal court today for their roles in conspiracies to distribute cocaine and hundreds of pounds of marijuana in Cole County, Mo.

Juan F. Aguilar, 33, of Kansas City, Mo., was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Nanette K. Laughrey to 15 years and eight months in federal prison without parole. On Aug. 10, 2007, Aguilar pleaded guilty to participating in a conspiracy to distribute and possess with the intent to distribute 1,000 kilograms or more of marijuana and five kilograms or more of cocaine.

Aguilar was the source of supply who provided cocaine and bulk quantities of marijuana to co-defendant Rodney Keith Rodebaugh, 30, of Jefferson City, Mo., who then distributed it to other co-conspirators in the Jefferson City area.

Eugene Rodney Rodebaugh, 56, of Eldon, Mo., was sentenced to 12 years in federal prison without parole. On Aug. 28, 2007, Eugene Rodebaugh was convicted at trial of participating in a conspiracy to distribute and to possess with the intent to distribute 50 kilograms or more of marijuana from as early as 1998 until July 2005. Eugene Rodebaugh was also found guilty of two counts of using a telephone to facilitate the drug trafficking conspiracy and one count of possession with intent to distribute marijuana.

Frederick William Weddington, 48, of Jefferson City, was sentenced to four years in federal prison without parole. On Aug. 28, 2007, Weddington was convicted at trial of one count of using a telephone to facilitate drug trafficking.

Bruce Allen Johnson, 29, of Jefferson City, was sentenced to four years in federal prison without parole. On Aug. 28, 2007, Johnson was convicted at trial of one count of using a telephone to facilitate the distribution and possession with intent to distribute marijuana.

Olan Daniel George, 32, of Centertown, Mo., was sentenced to three years and one month in federal prison without parole. On Aug. 10, 2007, George pleaded guilty to participating in a conspiracy to distribute and possess with the intent to distribute 100 kilograms or more of marijuana.

Douglas E. Comstock, 46, of Jefferson City, was sentenced to two years and six months in federal prison without parole. On Aug. 28, 2007, Comstock was convicted at trial of participating in a conspiracy to distribute and to possess with the intent to distribute marijuana. Comstock was also found guilty of three counts of using a telephone to facilitate the drug trafficking conspiracy and one count of possession with the intent to distribute marijuana.

John William Estes, 41, was sentenced to 10 months and 15 days in federal prison without parole. On Aug. 29, 2007, Estes pleaded guilty to two counts of distributing marijuana.

Rodney Keith Rodebaugh was sentenced on Feb. 15, 2008, to 21 years and 10 months in federal prison without parole. On Aug. 28, 2007, Rodebaugh was found guilty of participating in a conspiracy to distribute and to possess with the intent to distribute 100 kilograms or more of marijuana from as early as 1998 until July 2005. Rodebaugh was also found guilty of two counts of ! distributing cocaine, 11 counts of using a telephone to facilitate the drug trafficking conspiracy, one count of distributing marijuana, and one count of being a felon in possession of ammunition. Rodebaugh was also convicted on a criminal forfeiture allegation, which requires him to forfeit to the government a 2002 GMC Yukon, which was used to commit the violations.

Four co-defendants have been sentenced after pleading guilty to their roles in the conspiracy to distribute marijuana. Craig Alan Wansing, 32, of Vienna, Mo., was sentenced on Jan. 25, 2008, to eight years and nine months in federal prison without parole. Cyrus Otis Pope, 27, of Rolla, Mo., was sentenced on Dec. 7, 2007, to seven years and three months in federal prison without parole. David Edward Latham, 33, of Jefferson City, was sentenced on Nov. 30, 2007, to five years in federal prison without parole. Mark Allen Cavin, 32, of Jefferson City, was sentenced on Nov. 28, 2007, to three years in federal prison without parole.

Co-defendant Shawn D. Reno, 34, of New Bloomfield, Mo., pleaded guilty to participating in the conspiracy to distribute marijuana and awaits sentencing. Leonard Marshall Roark, 48, of Lohman, Mo., pleaded guilty to using a telephone to facilitate the drug trafficking conspiracy and awaits sentencing.

This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jim Lynn and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Lauren Kummerer. It was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Jefferson City, Mo., Police Department, MUSTANG (the Mid-Missouri Unified Strike Team and Narcotics Group), IRS-Criminal Investigation and the DEA Task Force in Kansas City, Mo.