10 Members of Methamphetamine Trafficking Operation Federally Indicted

ATLANTA, GA – Ten members of an alleged methamphetamine trafficking operation that sought to distribute over $1 million worth of drugs have been indicted in a 13-count superseding indictment on charges of violations of federal drug, firearm, and immigration laws.

According to U.S. Attorney Byung J. ‘BJay’ Pak, the indictment and other information presented in court, the defendants sought to distribute methamphetamine allegedly smuggled into the U.S. from Mexico. Agents with the DEA and the Atlanta-Carolina High Intensity Drug Trafficking Program (‘HIDTA’) began investigating the defendants in July 2017.

Over the course of the investigation, federal and local law enforcement agents uncovered a series of stash houses and methamphetamine conversion laboratories in DeKalb and Gwinnett counties, where the defendants would allegedly convert liquid methamphetamine into crystal methamphetamine for distribution. The defendants barricaded some of these conversion laboratories and guarded them with guns.

Agents raided one conversion laboratory in an apartment in Brookhaven, Georgia on January 30, 2018. In that apartment, they found approximately 65 kilograms of methamphetamine in crystal and liquid form and three firearms. In total, law enforcement has seized more than 130 kilograms of methamphetamine over the course of this investigation.

The indictment names the following 10 defendants:

Hugo Solano-Garcia, a/k/a Gordo, also charged with possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime;

Victor Pacheco-Solano, a/k/a Pelon, a/k/a Moro;

Gerardo Calderon-Pacheco, a/k/a Plebe;

Valentin Solano-Salas, also charged with possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime;

Juan Confesor Camilo, a/k/a Jean Carlos Camilo, a/k/a Tigre;

Aldrin Barajas-Ramirez, also charged with possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, illegal alien in possession of a firearm, and illegal re-entry after being deported;

Miguel Pacheco-Penaloza, also charged with possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime and illegal alien in possession of a firearm;

Octavio Pacheco-Torres, a/k/a Burro, also charged with possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime;

Sair Calderon-Pacheco; and

Joaquin Reyes-Guillen, a/k/a Aviel Cabrera-Hernandez.

The indictment was returned on March 28, 2018. Seven defendants were arraigned on April 6, 2018, while three have yet to be arraigned.

Members of the public are reminded that the indictment only contains charges. The defendants are presumed innocent of the charges and it will be the government’s burden to prove the defendants’ guilt beyond a reasonable doubt at trial.

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