Abel Ayala-Garcia, 31, of Columbus Ayala-Garcia was booked into Bartholomew County Jail on April 28 and released to an undisclosed federal agency the same day. He faces federal charges of conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine and conspiracy to launder monetary instruments. The conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine charge carries a potential sentence of 10 years to life in prison and a $10 million fine. The conspiracy to launder monetary instruments carries a potential sentence of 0 to 20 years in prison and a $500,000 fine.
INDIANAPOLIS — Five area defendants are among 22 individuals who have been sentenced to federal prison for their roles in an extensive methamphetamine and money laundering conspiracy responsible for trafficking hundreds of pounds of methamphetamine, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office, Southern District of Indiana.
Among those sentenced from the local area were:
- Abel Ayala-Garcia, 34, Columbus, sentenced to 24.5 years in federal prison, with five years of supervised release, on charges of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine and conspiracy to launder monetary instruments.
- Nathan Lee, 31, Columbus, sentenced to 10 years in federal prison with five years of syupervised release for distribution of methamphetamine.
- Claudio Garcia-Morales, 38, Columbus, sentenced to three years and 10 months in federal prison with two years of supervised release for conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine.
- Allison Perdue, 27, Seymour, sentenced to nine years in federal prison with three years of supervised release for conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine and possession with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine.
- Victor Vazquez-Hernandez, 42, Seymour, sentenced to 10 years, seven months in federal prison with five years of supervised release on possession with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine.
According to court documents, Isaias Gonzalez-Torres was the primary Indianapolis ringleader of the drug trafficking organization responsible for distributing large quantities of methamphetamine, cocaine and fentanyl into Indianapolis and surrounding areas, including Seymour, Columbus and Terre Haute. The investigation resulted in the seizure of 82 pounds of meth, 1,750 fentanyl pills, a kilogram of cocaine and nine firearms.
Gonzalez-Torres, 34, Indianapolis, was sentenced to 24 years and four months in federal prison with five years of supervised release for conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine and conspiracy to launder monetary instruments.
Gonzalez-Torres and Erlin Lucero-Asencio worked together to coordinate large shipments of meth and other illegal narcotics from Edeer Avila in Mexico, Martin Felix-Garcia in Arizona and others, according to court records.
Lucero-Asencio, 33, Indianapolis, was sentenced to 27 years in federal prison with five years of supervised release for conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine, possession with intent to distribute controlled substances by an illegal alien found in the U.S. and conspiracy to launder monetary instruments.
Edeer Avila, 34, Mexico, remains a fugitive according to fedearl officials.
The Indianapolis-based drug trafficking organization utilized an elaborate system of drug couriers and clandenstine mail parcels to transport the meth and other drugs across the country for redistribution in rural communities throughout the southern part of Indiana. Once the drug shipments arrived in Indianapolis, the organization utilized multiple stash houses to break down and store the drugs for further distribution, according to court records.
The organization employed multiple drug couriers, including Luis Daniel Hernandez, 27, Indianapolis, Andrew Calix-Maldonado, 30, Indianapolis, Julio Vicente-Guox, 36, Indianapolis and Eduardo Rodriguez, 29, Indianapolis, to deliver methamphetamine to distributors in Seymour, Columbus and Terre Haute, court records state.
Hernandez was sentenced to nine years in federal prison with three years of supervised release, Calix-Maldonado received 11 years and three months in federal prison with two years of supervised release and Vicente-Guox received 11 years and three months in federal prison with two years of supervised release.
Court records state between October 2021 and March 2022, the defendants and other conspirators engaged in money laundering by depositing $3,586.092 in U.S. currency into Candy Medina-Corcoles’ Bank of America account. Deposits occurred in Arizona, California, Colorado, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Missouri, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania and Tennessee. From there, a conspirator would remove the funds and transfer the drug proceeds to bank accounts in Mexico.
Medina-Corcoles was sentenced to four years and eight months in federal prison with two years of supervised release.
Between January 2020 and April 2022, the defendants also engaged in money laundering by sending at least 324 wire transfers totaling $291,116.089 from Indiana to Phoenix, Arizona and Mexico utilizing nominees to conceal their involvement in the wire transfers.
“This case exemplifies the mission of Operation Take Back America — to dismantle transnational criminal organizations and protect our communities from the devastating effects of meth, fentanyl and cartel-driven crime,” said tom Wheeler, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Indiana. “Thanks to the dedication of our law enforcement partners and the AUASA, we have severed a key pipeline of deadly drugs and illicit funds flowing into Indiana.”
The following people were sentenced or remain at large as part of the investigation:
- Edeer Avila, 34, Mexico: Conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute meth, Conspiracy to launder monetary instruments; Remains a fugitive
- Martin Felix-Garcia, 36, Phoenix, Arizona: Conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute meth, Conspiracy to launder monetary instruments; 25 years’ imprisonment, 5 years of supervised release
- Isaias Gonzalez-Torres, 34, Indianapolis: Conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute meth, Conspiracy to launder monetary instruments; 24 years, 4 months’ imprisonment, 5 years of supervised release
- Erlin Lucero-Asencio, 33, Indianapolis: Conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute meth, Conspiracy to launder monetary instruments, Possession with intent to distribute controlled substances, Illegal Alien Found in the United States; 27 years’ imprisonment, 5 years of supervised release
- Abel Ayala-Garcia, 34, Columbus: Conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute meth, Conspiracy to launder monetary instruments; 24.5 years’ imprisonment, 5 years of supervised release
- Juliann Magallanez, 36, Terre Haute: Possession with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of meth, Unlawful possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, Possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime; 15 years’ imprisonment. 5 years of supervised release
- John Whiffing, 50, Terre Haute: Conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute meth, 14 years’ imprisonment; 5 years of supervised release
- Victor Vazquez-Hernandez, 42, Seymour: Possession with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of meth; 10 years, 7 months’ imprisonment, 5 years of supervised release
- Eduardo Rodriguez, 29, Indianapolis: Conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute meth, Conspiracy to launder monetary instruments; 14 years, 8 months’ imprisonment, 5 years of supervised release
- Andrew Calix-Maldonado, 30, Indianapolis: Conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute meth, Conspiracy to launder monetary instruments; 11 years, 3 months’ imprisonment, 3 years of supervised release
- Julio Vicente-Guox, 36, Indianapolis: Conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute meth; 11 years, 3 months’ imprisonment, 2 years of supervised release
- Luis Daniel Hernandez, 27, Indianapolis: Conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute meth, Conspiracy to launder monetary instruments; 9 years’ imprisonment, 3 years of supervised release
- Jendry Medina, 23, Indianapolis: Conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute meth, Conspiracy to launder monetary instruments; 9 years, 2 months of imprisonment, 3 years of supervised release
- Abner Rodas-Abelardez, 39, Indianapolis: Conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute meth; 5 years, 10 months’ imprisonment, 5 years of supervised release
- Kenia Acosta, 41, Indianapolis: Conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute meth; 9 years’ imprisonment, 3 years of supervised release
- Jeami Waleska Sevilla Luna, 30, Indianapolis: Conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute meth; 8 years, 10 months’ imprisonment, 3 years of supervised release
- Dillon Smith, 34, Terre Haute: Possession with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of meth; 17 years, 6 months’ imprisonment, 5 years of supervised release
- Allison Perdue, 27, Seymour: Conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute meth, Possession with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of meth; 9 years’ imprisonment, 3 years of supervised release
- Eulalia Murillo-Resura, 34, Indianapolis: Conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute meth; 7 years, 3 months’ imprisonment, 3 years of supervised release
- Nathan Lee, 31, Columbus: Distribution of meth; 10 years’ imprisonment, 5 years of supervised release
- Emilio Landa-Lagunes, 27, Seymour: Possession with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of meth; 6 years’ imprisonment, 3 years of supervised release
- Claudio Garcia-Morales, 38, Columbus: Conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute meth; 3 years, 10 months’ imprisonment, 2 years of supervised release
- Candy Medina-Corcoles, 27, California: Conspiracy to launder monetary instruments; 4 years, 8 months’ imprisonment, 2 years of supervised release
