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Transnational Drug Trafficker Sentenced

To 25 Years For Conspiracy To Distribute

Fentanyl, Heroin, Methamphetamine,

And Cocaine And For Money Laundering

SPOKANE, Wash. - Jese Carillo Canada. From early 2015 until his up by the undercover operatives.
Casillas, age 33, based out of Kenne- arrest in August 2016, this distribu-
wick, Wash., was sentenced on Dec. tion network was organized, facili- Today’s enforcement action is part
13, 2018, to conspiracy to distribute tated, and controlled by Casillas out of an Organized Crime Drug En-
fentanyl, heroin, methamphetamine of Kennewick, Wash. forcement Task Force (OCDETF)
and cocaine, as well as conspiracy to investigation. The OCDETF pro-
launder money. Senior United States This organization was known for its gram provides supplemental federal
District Judge Edward F. Shea sen- ability to import large quantities of funding to the federal and state agen-
tenced Casillas to a 25-year term these narcotics through designated cies involved in the investigation of
of imprisonment for his role in the half-way points in the Los Angeles drug-related crimes. This OCDETF
drug conspiracy, to run concurrent to and Riverside California areas into investigation is being conducted by
a 15-year term of imprisonment for Vancouver, British Columbia, Cana- the Drug Enforcement Administra-
Casillas’ role in the money launder- da, and to various locations through- tion and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobac-
ing conspiracy, to be followed by a out the Midwest and East Coast to co, Firearms and Explosives.
5-year term of court supervision af- include North and South Dakota, This case was investigated by the
ter he is released from federal pris- Minneapolis, Chicago, Kentucky, Federal Bureau of Investigation’s
on. Upon completion of his sentence, and New York for distribution. Safe Streets Task Force in Tri-Cit-
Casillas will be deported because he In partnering with the Royal Cana- ies Washington; the Drug Enforce-
is not a citizen of the United States. dian Mounted Police Federal Se- ment Administration in Boston, Se-
According to information disclosed rious and Organized Crime Unit in attle, Mexico City and Vancouver;
during court proceedings, this case Vancouver British Columbia and the Royal Canadian Mounted Po-
arose from a joint investigation into DEA Financial Crimes Task Force lice Federal Serious and Organized
the Ivan Calvillo Transnational Drug in Boston, Mass., a large part of Crime Unit in Vancouver British Co-
Trafficking Organization that has the investigation also involved the lumbia, Canada; Kennewick Police
had a distribution cell rooted in the tracking of the organization’s drug Department; Richland Police De-
Eastern District of Washington since cash proceeds. A DEA undercover, partment; Pasco Police Department;
2010. The investigation culminat- posing as a person who could laun- Benton County Sheriff’s Office; and
ed in the arrest and indictment of der the organization’s money, was in Washington Department of Correc-
16 members of the organization for direct communication with Calvillo tions. This case was prosecuted by
various drug trafficking and mon- and later Casillas, who arranged for Assistant United States Attorneys
ey laundering offenses. After Ivan over two dozen cash money pick- for the Eastern District of Washing-
Calvillo was murdered in Mexico ups of drug proceeds. The undercov- ton Stephanie Van Marter and Cait-
in December 2015, Casillas took er agent would agree to pick up the lin Baunsgard.
over operations for the organization, cash drug proceeds and then took 15 Individuals arrested on federal
including the importation and dis- direction from Calvillo and Casil- drug trafficking and firearms charges.
tribution of fentanyl, heroin, meth- las as to where the laundered drug (2018, December 18). Retrieved Jan-
amphetamine, and cocaine. Casillas money should be wired. During this uary 22, 2019, from https://www.dea.
reported directly to the head of the process, investigators were able to gov/press-releases/2018/12/20/15-indi-
transnational trafficking organiza- identify the scope of the organiza- viduals-arrested-federal-drug-traffick-
tion in Mexico. The organization tion as well as other members within ing-and-firearms-charges
was responsible for the monthly dis- this district. Calvillo and Casillas ar-
tribution of 50 to 100 kilograms of ranged for over $1.6 million dollars
narcotics into the United States and in cash drug proceeds to be picked

14 — NARCOTIC OFFICERS MAGAZINE™ FEBRUARY 2019