Woman accused of role in multi-state drug ring
WILMINGTON >> Federal prosecutors in Delaware have charged several people, including a King of Prussia woman, in connection with an alleged multi-state drug trafficking operation that had links to an accused member of the Sinaloa Cartel in Mexico.
“The pursuit of justice takes many forms. Few cases illustrate this principle more clearly than this one-where investigators followed a drug operation in Bear, Delaware, to King of Prussia, Pennsylvania, and then to Sinaloa, Mexico, ultimately leading to the rescue of a U.S. citizen held hostage by an alleged member of the Sinaloa Cartel,” U.S. Attorney David C. Weiss said on Tuesday as federal prosecutors in the District of Delaware announced charges against several people.
Luis Raul Castro Valenzuela, known as “Chacho,” was indicted on charges of conspiracy to distribute controlled substances, hostage taking and kidnapping in connection with alleged incidents that occurred between March 2017 and November 2020. The indictment was unsealed on Friday and federal prosecutors in Delaware announced the charges on Tuesday.
Denise Brown, 34, also known as “China,” of King of Prussia, was indicted on a charge of conspiring to distribute heroin and fentanyl, according to federal court documents. The amount involved in the conspiracy attributable to Brown was one kilogram of heroin “and 400 grams or more of fentanyl,” according to the indictment.
Brown’s specific address was not revealed by federal prosecutors in the indictment.
Federal prosecutors said the Pennsylvania Office of Attorney General Bureau of Narcotics Investigations, the Montgomery County District Attorney’s Office,
the Pennsylvania State Police and the Chester Police Department assisted with the investigation conducted by Homeland Security Investigations, the U.S. Postal Inspection Service and the FBI.
The investigation was supported by the Liberty Mid-Atlantic High Intensity Drug Area program and the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force.
“Drug dealing is a dangerous and often violent enterprise, and thanks to the hard work and successful collaboration of these agencies, a victim’s life was spared,” said Pennsylvania Attorney General Josh Shapiro. “My office will continue to work with local, state, federal, and international authorities to keep Pennsylvanians safe from those who profit from drug trafficking.”
Others charged in connection with the alleged conspiracy were: Jamar “Jay” Jackson, 37, of Chester, Delaware County, and Bear, Del.; Harley Douglas, 37, of Bear, Del.; and Nicole Jackson, 35, of Dover, Del., according to court documents.
In total, the investigation resulted in the seizure of approximately 7.5 kilograms of heroin or fentanyl, 14.5 pounds of methamphetamine, 12 guns, and $180,000. The street value of the drugs easily exceeded $1 million, according to federal prosecutors.
In a news release, Damon Wood, the postal inspector in charge of the Philadelphia division, said the case started with investigators from several different agencies independently pursuing different leads.
“When they came together, they found themselves investigating a conspiracy to distribute illegal narcotics that stretched from the Philadelphia suburbs, down through Delaware, and into Mexico. I want to commend the hard work of our law enforcement partners from over a dozen agencies who helped develop the charges announced today, not the least of which includes the Mexican authorities, who, as a result of information developed here, rescued a U.S. citizen held against their will in Mexico,” Wood said on Tuesday.
Authorities did not release the identity of the hostage nor reveal where the alleged kidnapping occurred.
“The rescue of this victim is the culmination of an international and multi-jurisdictional drug trafficking and smuggling investigation impacting the people of Delaware and surrounding areas,” said Brian L. Jones, resident agent in charge of Homeland Security Investigations. “We are all relieved that this victim has been rescued safely but it also drives home the dangers of narcotics trafficking and the violent behavior of the Mexican drug cartels.”
“Today a dangerous criminal is off the streets thanks to a large-scale coordinated effort between our partners in the U.S. and in Mexico,” added Jennifer C. Boone, special agent in charge of the FBI Baltimore Field Office. “In this law enforcement collaboration, not only was a victim being held hostage rescued but more than a million dollars’ worth of illegal drugs was seized.”
Although the Indictment was obtained in November 2020, it was sealed until the victim was rescued and Castro Valenzuela was arrested. As reported by Mexican authorities, in February, Mexican law enforcement officers executed multiple warrants in Culiacan, Mexico, according to the news release.
Federal prosecutors said the victim was rescued and is in good health. Castro Valenzuela was arrested as part of the rescue operation and Mexican authorities have lodged their own charges and allege that he is a member of the Sinaloa Cartel, federal prosecutors said in the news release.
The U.S. is pursuing the extradition of Castro Valenzuela to Delaware so he can be prosecuted in federal court.