An Avon, Indiana, man in federal custody headed a multi-million dollar national drug ring that trafficked cocaine and meth through Indiana, according to federal prosecutors.
Rafael Rojas-Reyes, 34, is facing many felony charges: possession of methamphetamine, conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine, conspiracy to launder monetary instruments, conspiracy to distribute a controlled substance and continuing criminal enterprise.
Rojas-Reyes helped run a drug ring distributing drugs from Mexico throughout the United States to Indiana, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, New York, California and Arizona, according to the office of U.S. Attorney Josh Minkler.
“Those who chose to spread illegal drugs and the addictions that follow will be held accountable and experience the wrath of federal prosecution,” Minkler said in a press release.
Between July 2015 and September 2016, the ring Rojas-Reyes operated, along with Hector Saul Castro-Aguirre, aka Chapito, of Nogales, Mexico, made millions of dollars.
Drug Enforcement Administration officers secured warrants to tap multiple phones in the case, which was essential to tracking the ring’s operations. A confidential informant also cooperated with police, helping officers find locations of transfers of thousands of dollars in cash and substances.
Court documents detail the conversations officers recorded, which included numerous arrangements for drug deliveries at private residences and in parking lots at Target, Birrieria Andrade Estilo Jalisco and El Pastorcito, two Mexican restaurants, all in Indianapolis.
In some phone calls, members of the ring questioned each other about their loyalties, according to court documents.
“Listen — you’re not a police?” one asked in a conversation May 25, 2016, in the middle of a three-pound meth order.
“No, not at all,” the other replied.
“Snitch?”
“No, no.”
Later that day, agents working the case pulled over ring members driving a White Ford Focus, who were delivering the meth that was ordered during the phone call. In the traffic stop, agents searched the car and found a shoebox with three pounds of meth, hidden behind the driver’s legs.
Afterward, agents got a search warrant for the house on the west side of Indianapolis, the car had been head to. At the house, officers seized 12 pounds of meth, digital scales, multiple cell phones, packaging materials and multiple fake Social Security cards.
A 25-page indictment outlines the breadth of the operation. So far, 16 others have been indicted for their involvement with the drug ring, including several people from southern Indiana. They are Oscar Macias, 22; Merath Mora-Chavez, 32; Francisco Toledo-Santos, 29; Roberto S. Macias, 42; Elvia Barrios-Moreno, 50; Aldo Machado-Castro, 40; John Ramirez-Prado, 34; Rafael Lnu; Yesenia Andrade-Guillen, 38; Jesus Lopez-Acosta; Julio Cesar Cebrero-Alvarez, 34; Jose Manuel Carrillo-Tremillo, 50; Cristian Garcia, 25; and Melvin Peralta, 27.
The DEA, Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigation, Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department, Carmel Police Department and Indianapolis Metropolitan Drug Task Force collaborated during the investigation.
A pretrial conference for all named in this case is scheduled for 2 p.m. Aug. 23. A jury trial is scheduled for 9 a.m. Sept. 11.
