The Oak Ridge Police Department was one of 19 local and state law enforcement agencies that received part of $4.1 million in cash seized during a 2011 investigation of a Mexican drug trafficking organization.
The ORPD received $69,814, said U.S. Attorney William C. Killian of the Eastern District of Tennessee in Knoxville. Other law enforcement agencies in California, North Carolina, and Tennessee received amounts ranging from about $35,000 to close to $420,000.
In a press release, Killian said the money was seized after a wiretap investigation led agents to identify and stop a semi truck being driven by Armando Guzman Villegas and Javier Cruz-Ramirez as it traveled west through the Eastern District of Tennessee on Interstate 40. A search of the truck found several pallets of shrink-wrapped bottled water. One of the shrink-wrapped pallets contained about $4.1 million in cash, contained in roughly 200 duct-taped bundles, with approximately $20,000 in cash in each bundle, Killian said.
The drug seizure disbursements were announced in a Thursday morning press conference at the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Knoxville.
Killian said Cruz-Ramirez pleaded guilty to aiding and abetting interstate transportation in aid of racketeering enterprises. He was sentenced to serve 60 months in prison, followed by three years of supervised release.
Meanwhile, Villegas pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute five kilograms or more of cocaine and to aiding and abetting interstate transportation in aid of racketeering enterprises, Killian said. He was sentenced to serve 60 months in prison, followed by five years of supervised release.
The court also ordered the forfeiture of $4,078,713.00 in cash.
In addition to the agencies receiving sharing checks, the Drug Enforcement Administration played a significant role in the investigation, which led to the subsequent conviction and sentencing of Cruz-Ramirez and Villegas, Killian said. Assistant U.S. Attorney David Lewen represented the United States in the case—U.S. v. Francisco Javier Cruz-Ramirez, et. al.—and Assistant U.S. Attorney Frank Dale helped with the forfeiture.
The agencies receiving forfeited funds in this case include:
- Blount County (Tennessee) Sheriff’s Office—$69,813.93
- City of Jacksonville (North Carolina) Police Department—$157,081.34
- City of Wilmington (North Carolina) Police Department—$418,883.57
- Cumberland County (North Carolina) Sheriff’s Office—$244,348.75
- Duplin County (North Carolina) Sheriff’s Office—$209,441.79
- Fayetteville (North Carolina) Police Department—$244,348.75
- Tennessee Fifth Judicial District Drug Task Force—$34,906.97
- Knox County (Tennessee) Sheriff’s Office—$69,813.93
- Knoxville (Tennessee) Police Department—$139,627.85
- La Verne (California) Police Department—$34,906.97
- Lenoir City (Tennessee) Police Department—$69,813.93
- Metro Knoxville Airport Authority Police—$69,813.93
- Monterey (Tennessee) Police Department—$34,906.97
- North Carolina Department of Public Safety—$349,069.64
- Oak Ridge (Tennessee) Police Department—$69,813.93
- Sampson County (North Carolina) Sheriff Department—$279,255.72
- Tennessee Bureau Of Investigation—$69,813.93
- Tennessee Department Of Safety—$69,813.93
- Town of Leland (North Carolina) Police Department—$157,081.34
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