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Friday, April 21, 2006

From Bombs to Meth 15 Charged in Distribution Conspiracy

From the Office of United States Attorney John L. Brownlee:

April 19, 2006

FIFTEEN CHARGED IN METHAMPHETAMINE DISTRIBUTION CONSPIRACY THAT INCLUDED PROVIDING METH TO HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS

United States Attorney John L. Brownlee and Special Agent in Charge William J. Hoover, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), announced today that 15 people have been charged in a conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine in Rockingham and Augusta Counties that included providing meth to high school students.

“These conspirators were not only bringing a great deal of methamphetamine into the Harrisonburg area, but then they were poisoning our children with it,” said United States Attorney John Brownlee.

Methamphetamine is the most dangerous drug we deal with today, and it was important to take these defendants off the street so they cannot harm another child.” Through the investigation, agents have seized a pound of methamphetamine, more than 40 firearms, and over $10,000.00 from members of the conspiracy.

The investigation began when agents with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives responded to the scene of a car bombing on February 10, 2005, at the home of Gregory Layman on Indian Trail Road in Harrisonburg.

Agents determined that Joseph Jenkins had planted a homemade bomb on the hood of Gregory Layman’s car. The bomb exploded and injured Layman and damaged his vehicle. Jenkins later said he was trying to harm a Mexican national known to Jenkins as “Mo.” “Mo” was Layman’s source for methamphetamine, and is the source of methamphetamine for other conspirators charged in this indictment. Layman would then sell methamphetamine to Jenkins.

The Grand Jury has charged that beginning in March 2004, Maurilio Prieto-Rubi, or “Mo,” would supply crystal meth or “Ice” to co-conspirator, Dawn Deibert, who would then supply other meth distributors that included James Dean, Franklin Hollingsworth, Justin Wood, Stephen Monger, Eric Waybright, and Matthew Propst. These conspirators would then sell methamphetamine to others.

Much of the methamphetamine that was distributed by members of this conspiracy was of exceptionally high purity, with percentages ranging up to 91% in laboratory analysis. This kind of meth is called “crystal meth” or “Ice.”

The Grand Jury indictment also alleges that the following acts took place:

• Between August of 2004 and February of 2005, Conspirator Gregory Layman would hold parties at his home and would invite juveniles to attend. Layman would provide those juveniles with methamphetamine and alcohol and would sometimes engage in sexual activity with the juveniles. Sometimes methamphetamine would be provided in exchange for overnight stays at Layman’s home.

• In August of 2004, Gregory Layman hosted a party at his home on Indian Trail Road in Harrisonburg. Several of the other conspirators attended the party. At the party meth and alcohol were provided to juveniles. Layman had a baseball-sized chunk of methamphetamine on his bedroom vanity and showed it off to others at the party.

• According to the indictment, in September of 2004, on a school day, co-conspirator Gregory Layman invited two high school girls to leave school and come to his home. When the girls got to Layman’s home, Layman showed them a softball sized chunk of meth and offered it to the girls. The girls accepted the meth and they smoked meth for about an hour before driving home.

• From September 2004 through February 10, 2005, Layman hosted between two and five juveniles on almost every school day, providing them with methamphetamine or alcohol, or sometimes both. Other members of the conspiracy would bring the girls to Layman’s home.

• Gregory Layman gave one of the juvenile girls an eighth of an ounce of methamphetamine as a birthday present for her seventeenth birthday. The date of the girl’s birthday is being withheld to protect her identity.

• On December 31, 2004, Gregory Layman hosted a New Year’s Eve party at his home in Harrisonburg, Virginia. Several of the other conspirators attended the party and distributed methamphetamine and alcohol to juvenile girls.

The Grand Jury further alleges that:

• On October 24, 2004, agents executed a search warrant on the home of Dawn Deibert. Agents recovered $2,700 in cash as well as records of drug trafficking, including “owe” sheets reflecting drug debts owed to Dawn Deibert or James R. Dean.

• On March 9, 2005, both Dean and Deibert, on separate occasions, sold methamphetamine to a police informant.

• On March 16, 2005, police searched Dean’s home and found 12 grams of methamphetamine and approximately 40 firearms. Other members of the conspiracy were also present at Dean’s home when the search warrant was executed.

• According to the indictment, on June 6, 2005, Dawn Deibert was stopped for a traffic violation and had in her possession half of a pound of methamphetamine and $1,266.00 in cash. Dawn Deibert was then arrested on July 19, 2005, and found to be in possession of two ounces of “Ice” methamphetamine and $6,000. In the weeks before she was arrested, Deibert was receiving a pound of methamphetamine every three to four days from Maurilio Prieto-Rubi for re-distribution.

• After Deibert and Dean were arrested, other sellers of methamphetamine began selling more meth more often to the remaining conspirators.

Deibert and Dean were indicted in July 2005 and have both plead guilty to conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine. Dean also plead guilty to possession of a firearm by a user of a controlled substance. Dean was sentenced April 17, 2006 in United States District Court in Harrisonburg by the Honorable Judge Glen E. Conrad to 14 years in prison and five years supervised release.

Dawn Diebert was sentenced the same day to 17 years and six months in prison and five years supervised release.

According to the indictment:

• On April 10, 2005, Ann Good was stopped for a traffic violation and had Matthew Propst in the car with her. Officers seized a small quantity of methamphetamine, a glass smoking device, and a .40 caliber pistol.

• Justin Wood was arrested on July 19, 2005 and found to be in possession of $1,000, a .45 caliber pistol, and marijuana.

• In July 2005, shortly after Diebert and Dean were arrested, Timothy Cardin and Eric Waybright began to distribute “Ice” methampetamine obtained from Stephen Monger at his home in Elkton, Virginia. William Meadows and Charles Conley also supplied ice methamphetamine to other co-conspirators for their use and re-distribution.

• On September 30, 2005, agents executed a search warrant at the home of Matthew Propst and Ann Good. Agents seized a .40 caliber pistol, ammunition, methamphetamine, digital scales, and other items used in the sale of methamphetamine.

• On December 12, 2005, agents executed another search warrant, this time on Florist Road in Elkton, at the residence of Stephen Monger. Agents seized five baggies of methamphetamine that Monger threw down as he fled from officers and a .45 caliber pistol. Matthew Propst was in another bedroom where he and Ann Good were living, pretending to sleep. In Propst’s room, agents found two additional ounces of methamphetamine and a glass meth-smoking device.

• On March 15, 2006, Michael Childress sold an ounce of meth to a police informant. Agents executed a search warrant at Childress’ home shortly after the sale and seized four ounces of methamphetamine, and $9,000.00. This methamphetamine and numerous other pounds of methamphetamine, came to Michael Childress directly from Maurilio Prieto-Rubi.

If convicted, the defendants could forfeit all property obtained as a result of their criminal activity, including any firearms or ammunition involved in the commission of these crimes.

Steven T. Monger could forfeit his home and all his property on Florist Road in Elkton, Virginia. Gregory Layman could forfeit his home and all his property on Indian Trail Road.

The case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, the RUSH Drug Task Force, the Augusta County Sheriff’s Office, Waynesboro Police Department, and the Rockingham County Fire Marshal’s Office.

Assistant United States Attorney Rusty Fitzgerald will prosecute the case.

A Grand Jury indictment is only a charge and not evidence of guilt. The defendants are entitled to a fair trial with the burden on the United States to prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.
The defendants, their charges, and the penalty range for the charges, if the defendants are found guilty, are as follows:

Defendant Age Hometown Charges PenaltyMaurilio Prieto-Rubi age 28 Mexico (1) Conspiracy 10-Life

Timothy P. Cardin age 24 Elkton, Va (1) Conspiracy 10-Life

Michael W. Childress age 42 Waynesboro, Va (1) Conspiracy 10-Life(13) Distribution of Meth 0-20 (14) Possession of Meth 10-Life

Charles W. Conley age 39 Elkton, Va (1) Conspiracy 10-Life

Ann M. Good age 23 (1) Conspiracy 10-Life(3) Possession of a firearm 5-25(8) Possession of a firearm 5-25

Rodney W. Hensley age 35 Elkton, Va (1) Conspiracy 10-Life

Franklin S. Hollingsworth age 37 Staunton, Va (1) Conspiracy 10-Life

Gregory Elwood Layman age 45 Harrisonburg, Va (1) Conspiracy 10-Life(2)Possession of a firearm 0-10

William C. Meadows age 25 Elkton, Virginia (1) Conspiracy 10-Life

Stephen Todd Monger age 25 Elkton, Va (1) Conspiracy 10-Life(10) Possession of meth 0-20(11) Possession of a firearm 5-25(12) Distribution of meth 0-20

Mark Moore age 35 Harrisonburg, Va (1) Conspiracy 10-Life(7)Possession of a firearm 5-25

Matthew Allen Propst age 25 (1) Conspiracy 10-Life(3)Possession of a firearm 5-25(4)Possession of a firearm 5-25(8) Possession of a firearm 5-25(9) Possession of meth 10-Life

1 Comments:

At 6:20 PM, Anonymous Anonymous said...

Hinkle

 

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