Federal prosecutors in North Dakota on Wednesday charged a man with running a drug trafficking and money laundering network inside a federal prison.
Jesus Amrahaby Celestin Ortega, a.k.a. “Flaco,” 26, has been charged since January 2022 with “allegedly engaging in drug-related and money laundering conspiracies, and a continuing criminal enterprise while serving time in federal prison on unrelated drug and firearms charges,” the release said. The prosecutor.
Prosecutors allege that Celestin-Ortega used smuggled cellphones to direct and coordinate the importation of more than 500 grams of methamphetamine, more than one kilogram of heroin, and more than 400 grams of fentanyl into the United States.
Celestin Ortega also allegedly directed and coordinated the distribution of drugs in North Dakota, Minnesota, California, Colorado, Georgia, Missouri, Texas and Arizona, and conspired to launder money from the United States to Mexico, prosecutors said.
The statement said there were eight conspirators in the drug trafficking plot. (Related: Federal government says Mexican drug cartels conspired with Chinese bankers to launder drug money)
Federal prisoner and eight co-conspirators indicted on international drug trafficking charges
🔗: https://t.co/nwIaDHh8Lw pic.twitter.com/BfEKnskmG7
— Criminal Affairs Division (@DOJCrimDiv) June 26, 2024
The five alleged co-conspirators, Trinidad Torres Meras, age 58, of Riverside, California, Maria de la Cruz Estrada Moreno, age 40, of El Paso, Texas, Rafael Bueno Nava, age 49, of Fridley, Minnesota, Ryan James Stevens, age 41, of Arvada, Colorado, and Martina Lucia Mendez, age 26, of Gilbert, Arizona, are accused of conspiring to import narcotics from Mexico into the United States. The first three of the five are additionally charged with money laundering conspiracy.
Prosecutors identified the remaining three co-conspirators as Edgar Hernandez (aka Ivan Edgar Hernandez Vasquez), 43, Jesse Rocha, 25, of Denver, and Christian Ivan Gonzalez, 31, of Phoenix.
Celestin Ortega and six of her co-conspirators have reportedly already made their initial appearances in court. The remaining two co-conspirators, Hernandez and Mendez, remain at large.
The drug importation and distribution conspiracy charge carries a maximum sentence of life in prison, while the money laundering conspiracy charge carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison if the defendants are found guilty.
