Bravo Andrew, Drug Trafficking Conspiracy, Michigan 2020

Eleven Defendants Convicted For Involvement With Battle Creek Drug Trafficking Organization

GRAND RAPIDS, MICHIGAN

— United States Attorney Andrew Birge announced today that on December 4, 2020, a federal jury returned guilty verdicts against two defendants following a four-day trial in Kalamazoo: Ricardo Mercado-Lozano, also known as Heriberto Diaz-Lozano and Eddie Diaz, a citizen of Mexico and resident of Greenwood, Indiana, and Stacey Parcell Gibson, a resident of Battle Creek. These two defendants are among eleven total defendants who have been convicted for their respective offenses in furtherance of a drug-trafficking conspiracy spearheaded by co-defendant Andrew Bravo of Battle Creek.

Bravo’s drug-trafficking organization distributed kilograms of cocaine and crystal methamphetamine, and quantities of heroin, fentanyl, MDMA or ecstasy, and kilograms of marijuana, in and around Battle Creek and Kalamazoo between May 2017 and December 2019. Bravo pleaded guilty to the drug-trafficking conspiracy on June 4, 2020 and was sentenced to 264 months in prison on October 5, 2020.

Mercado-Lozano, a self-admitted associate of the Sinaloa cartel, was a regional supplier of kilograms of cocaine and quantities of crystal methamphetamine to Bravo, who further distributed the controlled substances to other individuals in Battle Creek and Kalamazoo. Gibson obtained cocaine from Bravo and re-distributed it to customers in Battle Creek.

In announcing the convictions, U.S. Attorney Birge stated, “These convictions are the result of a long-term, multi-agency investigation into the drug trafficking of Andrew Bravo and his co-conspirators, who distributed cocaine, crystal methamphetamine, heroin, fentanyl, and marijuana, among other controlled substances, into the Battle Creek and Kalamazoo communities for years. The U.S Attorney’s Office is committed to bringing traffickers of dangerous drugs to justice no matter how long it takes. Our local communities are now safer with these individuals off the streets.”

Defendant:

Ricardo Mercado-Lozano, also known as Heriberto Diaz-Lozano and Eddie Diaz, convicted of conspiracy to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute cocaine and crystal methamphetamine.

Stacey Parcell Gibson, convicted of conspiracy to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute cocaine.

Andrew Bravo, convicted of conspiracy to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute cocaine, crystal methamphetamine, heroin, fentanyl, and marijuana, sentenced to 264 months in prison.

Source: https://www.justice.gov/usao-wdmi/pr/2020_1208_Bravo