Ten Drug Dealers Handed Lengthy Federal Prison Sentences for Trafficking Kilos of Fentanyl, Meth, and Cocaine

INDIANAPOLIS- Ten defendants have been sentenced in federal court for their roles in a multi-county fentanyl, cocaine, and methamphetamine trafficking operation spanning Indianapolis, Muncie, Terre Haute, and other areas within the Southern District of Indiana.

Between October 2022 and November 2023, Moore, Kendall, Young, Robertson, Wampler, Fox, and Members conspired to operate a large-scale drug trafficking organization responsible for distributing fentanyl, methamphetamine, and cocaine across multiple Indiana counties. Kendall, who was identified as the leader of the Indianapolis based distribution network, often used threats to intimidate and control subordinates carrying out his directives.

In total, the group was responsible for distributing at least 108 kilograms of methamphetamine, 4 kilograms of Fentanyl, and 6 kilograms of cocaine.

On November 8, 2023, law enforcement executed multiple simultaneous search warrants at the defendants' homes and vehicles, which were being used to store and distribute narcotics and drug-trafficking proceeds. Officers seized 25,000 Fentanyl pills, 2 pounds of methamphetamine, 348.8 grams of cocaine base, 225 grams of cocaine, and 487 grams of Fentanyl laced with Xylazine. Xylazine is a veterinary tranquilizer that can slow breathing, heart rate, and blood pressure to dangerously low levels, and can decrease the effectiveness of reviving overdoses through use of Narcan.

The following firearms, ammunition, and other items were seized and forfeited:

• C.A.I. Stalb P9R 9mm handgun
• Charter Arms Undercover .38 Special revolver
• Kel Tec .380 caliber handguns (x2)
• Kimber Custom .45 caliber handguns (x2)
• MI2AK l2-gauge shotgun
• Norinco SKS 7.62 rifle
• Ruger .45 caliber handguns (x2)
• Sig Sauer P365 9mm handgun
• Smith & Wesson Bodyguard .38- caliber handgun
• Springfield Hellcat 9mm handgun
• Springfield 40 caliber handgun
• 38 caliber Taurus revolver
• Smith & Wesson .40 caliber semi-automatic handgun
• Glock Model 19 9mm handgun
• Springfield XD semiautomatic
• $18,981 in cash
• At least five digital scales
• Cutting agents, including Phenyltetrahydroimidazothiazole (PTHIT)
• Hundreds of rounds of assorted ammunition
• Multiple cell phones

"Dismantling a drug trafficking organization responsible for pumping massive quantities of methamphetamine and fentanyl into our communities is a major victory for law enforcement and for every Hoosier," said Tom Wheeler, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Indiana. "Because of the exceptional, collaborative work of our federal, state, and local partners, we achieved a remarkable outcome that sends a crystal-clear message to major drug dealers: we will continue our relentless pursuit to dismantle your illicit operations and protect the people of Indiana."

"The scope of this drug trafficking organization and the volume of fentanyl, methamphetamine and cocaine it distributed posed a serious threat to communities across central and southern Indiana," said DEA Indianapolis District Office Assistant Special Agent in Charge Gerald Dooley. "Because of the strong collaboration between our federal and local law enforcement and prosecutorial partners, we were able to dismantle this network and remove significant quantities of dangerous drugs and firearms from our streets."

"These sentences send a clear message: if you profit from pumping fentanyl, methamphetamine, and cocaine into our neighborhoods, you will pay for it with your freedom," said Adam Jobes, Special Agent in Charge, IRS Criminal Investigation, Chicago Field Office. "These individuals trafficked poison for profit, fueling addiction and violence across Indiana. These prison sentences remove both the dealers and their drugs from our streets - and that makes our communities safer. IRS-CI will continue to work relentlessly with our federal, state, and local law enforcement partners to identify, disrupt, and shut down every level of these operations and hold accountable anyone who chooses to traffic poison in our communities."

"It is remarkable what law enforcement agencies can achieve when they work together in true partnership said ATF Special Agent in Charge Jorge Rosendo. These individuals brought devastation and chaos to the people of Indiana. Because of their actions, they faced the full force of coordinated law enforcement efforts. Now, they will face the consequences of their crimes within the prison system."

The Drug Enforcement Administration, Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, IMPD, and Vigo County Drug Task Force investigated this case. The sentences were imposed by U.S. District Court Judge James P. Hanlon.

U.S. Attorney Wheeler thanked Assistant U.S. Attorneys Lindsay E. Karwoski and Patrick Gibson, who prosecuted this case.

This case is part of the Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) initiative established by Executive Order 14159, Protecting the American People Against Invasion. The HSTF is a whole-of-government partnership dedicated to eliminating criminal cartels, foreign gangs, transnational criminal organizations, and human smuggling and trafficking rings operating in the United States and abroad. Through historic interagency collaboration, the HSTF directs the full might of United States law enforcement towards identifying, investigating, and prosecuting the full spectrum of crimes committed by these organizations, which have long fueled violence and instability within our borders. In performing this work, the HSTF places special emphasis on investigating and prosecuting those engaged in child trafficking or other crimes involving children. The HSTF further utilizes all available tools to prosecute and remove the most violent criminal aliens from the United States. HSTF Crossroads of America comprises agents and officers from FBI, Homeland Security Investigations, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Drug Enforcement Administration, Internal Revenue Services, Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department, Indiana National Guard, Indiana State Police, HIDTA, U.S. Customs and Border Protection, Office of Field Operations, Marion County Sheriff's Office, and Plainfield Police Department, with the prosecution being led by the United States Attorney's Office for the Southern District of Indiana.

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