52 additional members, associates of various white supremacist organizations arrested in Texas during second phase of drug conspiracy investigation

DALLAS — Fifty-four members and associates of various white supremacist organizations have been charged with federal offenses stemming from their respective roles in a drug distribution conspiracy that operated in North Texas and elsewhere from January 2013 to November 2015.

U.S. Attorney John Parker of the Northern District of Texas made the announcement Friday. Two of the 54 defendants remain fugitives.

This investigation is being led by the Texas Department of Public Safety Criminal Investigations Division (DPS-CID) and the Dallas Police Department Criminal Intelligence Unit. Assistance is provided from the following Texas-area law enforcement agencies: U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), Garland Police Department’s Neighborhood Police Officer Unit, Collin County Sheriff’s Office, and the police departments of Mesquite, Sherman, Denison and Sulphur Springs.

This second phase of the investigation follows a related operation in 2014 in which 37 members and associates of various white supremacist organizations were arrested and charged with similar federal offenses, stemming from their role in a methamphetamine distribution conspiracy. All of those defendants were convicted; one remains a fugitive.

Following are the defendants, all Texas residents, who are charged in this superseding indictment:

• Ramon Aguilar, III, aka “Nelson,” 26, of Dallas,
• Christopher Alexander, aka “Bear,” 43, of Dallas,
• William Lee Benham, 32, of Mesquite,
• Eric Scott Benson, aka “ESB,” 29, of Mesquite,
• Ronnie Mikel Brown, 39, of Dallas,
• Jonas Carrera, 36, of Dallas,
• Hugo Ivan Castaneda, aka “Takua,” 25, of Dallas,
• John Anthony Chavez Jr., aka “BJ,” 27, of Dallas,
• Justo Salvador Chavez Jr., aka “Junior,” 39, of Dallas,
• Micah Torrence Dees, 26, of Sherman,
• Abraham Dimas Jr., 41, of Dallas,
• Tina Wynette Easley, aka “Tina Wynette Fields” aka “Big Tina,” 43, of Seagoville,
• Crissy Lynn Evans, 28, of Richardson,
• Taylor Maxlynn Fletcher, 26, of Point,
• Joe Lee Foard, Jr., 46, of Denison,
• Michael William Getsinger, 30, of Rockwall,
• Alejandro Gonzalez, 20, of Dallas,
• Quincy John Goodson, aka “Kidd,” 34, of Scurry,
• Michael Thor Guinn, 28, of Jacksonville,
• Tommy Dare Hancock, aka “Big Tom,” 49, of Beaumont,
• David Lesley Holt, 54, of Mesquite,
• David Wayne Holt, 28, of Dallas,
• Brennan Nicole House, 22, of Sherman,
• Desirae Ann Houser, 24, of Princeton,
• Beau James Jarnagin, aka “Beau Jamey,” 39, of Dallas,
• Jeff Jeremy Johnston, aka “Slowpoke,” 42, of Mesquite,
• Kory Wade Kloecker, aka “Crawl,” 32, of Mesquite,
• Jimmy David Lance, 54, of Dallas,
• Samantha Ladell Largent, 25, of Cumby,
• Blake Allen Long-Rockey, 27, of Dallas,
• Ricardo Garcia Medina, 31, of Dallas,
• Benjamin Matthew Melton, 31, of Mesquite,
• Craig Don Mueller, 34, of Dallas,
• Brian Casey Mullins, 35, of Rockwall,
• Stacy Wayne Myers, 48, of Dallas,
• James Marshall Nation, 39, of Cumby,
• Wendy Renee Neal, 37, of Princeton,
• Mackenzie Nelson, 31, of Greenville,
• Raymond Anthony Nichols, aka “Ant,” 35, of Mesquite,
• Shanna Lynn Palmer, 32, of Seagoville,
• Christian Perez, 23, of Dallas,
• Francisco Manuel Radamez-Nava, aka “Ghost,” 31, of Mesquite,
• Jorge Ramirez, aka “Gucci,” “Jorge Ramirez-Martinez,” and “Jorge Alejandro” 31, of Mesquite,
• Bruce Chance Rash, aka “Chaos,” 37, of Dallas,
• John James Rumfield, 34, of Dallas,
• Jackie Lemonds Segura, 32, of Dallas,
• Brandon Kyle Smith, 31, of Mineola,
• Alicia Gale Tambourine, aka “Slimm,” 31, of Balch Springs,
• Jamie Lynn Tucker, 49, of Dallas,
• Troy Anthony Wallace, 46, of Mesquite,
• Roger Wayne Whitworth Jr., aka “Peanut,” 42, of Mesquite, and
• John Fitzgerald Yates, aka “Po Boy,” 51, of Tyler (deceased).

This just-unsealed superseding indictment charges all of the above-listed defendants, with the exception of Benjamin Matthew Melton and Jorge Ramirez, with one count of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute 500 grams or more of methamphetamine and one substantive count of possession of methamphetamine with the intent to distribute. Ronnie Mikel Brown, Tina Wynette Easley, Michael Thor Guinn, Tommy Dare Hancock, David Wayne Holt, Jeff Jeremy Johnston, and Benjamin Matthew Melton are also each charged with one count of felon in possession of a firearm. Jorge Ramirez is charged with one count of being an illegal alien in possession of a firearm.

According to the superseding indictment, the defendants were members of, associated with, or performed drug transactions with, various white supremacists organizations or individuals including the “Aryan Brotherhood of Texas” (ABT), the “Aryan Circle,” the “White Knights,” and the “Peckerwoods,” and they engaged in a conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine and other illegal narcotics throughout North Texas and elsewhere. Certain defendants used firearms to further their drug trafficking activities.

Despite their differences, the ABT, Aryan Circle, and White Knights gangs, along with the Peckerwoods, often collaborated with each other and with Mexican gangs and cartels for purposes of drug distribution or other illegal ventures. Peckerwood is a term used to describe an individual who, although not a member, shared a white supremacist ideology or aligned himself or herself with these white supremacist gangs.

Up to 20 of the above-listed defendants were members or close associates of the ABT. Up to eight were members or close associates of the Aryan Circle. One was a member of the White Knights, and one was a Peckerwood. Two were members of the La Familia drug cartel. Some of the defendants had familial relationships, some were engaged in romantic relationships, and some resided together, as outlined in the indictment.

The indictment alleges that from about January 2013 to November 2015, the defendants conspired together, and with others, to possess with intent to distribute 500 grams or more of methamphetamine. According to the indictment, the defendants arranged for the acquisition of methamphetamine and its distribution and delivery. They used stash houses or other locations to store the methamphetamine, and acted as intermediaries and brokers to negotiate the acquisition, price, delivery and payment for the quantities of methamphetamine.

Each of the co-conspirators was linked to one another either directly or through another co-conspirator. Certain co-conspirators acted as hubs for narcotics trafficking, supplying methamphetamine to numerous other co-conspirators. Throughout the investigation, 40 pounds of methamphetamine and 22 firearms were seized.

A federal indictment is an accusation by a grand jury. A defendant is entitled to the presumption of innocence unless proven guilty. If convicted, however, the statutory maximum penalty for each count of the drug trafficking conspiracy is life in federal prison and millions of dollars in fines. The statutory maximum penalty for each substantive count of possession of methamphetamine is 20 years in federal prison. The maximum statutory penalty for being a felon in possession of a firearm or for being an illegal alien in possession of a firearm is 10 years in federal prison. The indictment also includes a forfeiture allegation that would require the defendants, upon conviction, to forfeit all real or personal property derived from the proceeds of their offense.

Assistant U.S. Attorney P. J. Meitl, Northern District of Texas, is prosecuting this case.