Brian Merrill, Conspiracy to Distribute Spice and Money Laundering, Utah 2013
Utah Spice Ring Indictment Exposed
A federal grand jury returned an indictment Tuesday charging 14 individuals with conspiracy to distribute spice in connection with a nationwide law enforcement operation targeting synthetic drug trafficking organizations.
The indictment follows arrests and search warrants in St. George last month. Nine defendants are also charged with money laundering in the indictment, which includes one conspiracy count and 10 counts of money laundering.
Charged in the Utah indictment are:
- Brian Merrill, age 28, of Hurricane
- Joshua Davis, age 37, of Hurricane
- Buck Andersen, age 33, of St. George
- Joseph Givogre, age 42, of Washington
- Gary Jolley, age 58, of St. George
- Alicia Brandom, age 31, of Hurricane
- Curtis McOsker, age 40, of Las Vegas, a former resident of Santa Clara
- Malin Pavelka, age 34, of St. George
- Jennifer Barlow, age 22, of St. George
- Richard Lewis, age 61, of St. George
- David Flores, age 32, of West Jordan
- James Hardwick, age 27, of South Jordan
- David Carter, age 33, of Spanish Fork
- Becky Young, age 36, of West Jordan
The indictment alleges that from about March 2011 through about June 2013, the defendants conspired with each other and with other persons to distribute spice. The money laundering counts charge several of the defendants with engaging in monetary transactions involving property derived from an unlawful activity – which in this case is conspiracy to unlawfully distribute a controlled substance.
The potential maximum penalty for the conspiracy count is 20 years in federal prison and a fine of $1 million. Each count of money laundering carries a potential 10-year penalty and a fine of $250,000.
Indictments are not findings of guilt. Individuals charged in indictments are presumed innocent unless or until proven guilty in court.
Defendants in the case are scheduled for an arraignment on the indictment on Aug. 5, 2013, at 1:30 p.m. before U.S. Magistrate Judge Robert T. Braithwaite in St. George.
Key Facts
- State: Utah
- Category: Drug Trafficking
- Source: DOJ Press Release â†â€â€
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