11 Arraigned In Drug-Trafficking Ring Involving UPS Employees

Dec 18, 2019 12:20PM ● By Flint Zerangue, Sr.

TUCSON, Ariz. – A State Grand Jury indicted 11 individuals accused of shipping illegal drugs and contraband across the country through the United Parcel Service (UPS); collectively the defendants face 48 felony counts, including money laundering, transportation of marijuana for sale, transportation of narcotic drugs for sale, misconduct involving weapons, and illegally conducting an enterprise. These charges stem from a multiyear investigation involving U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), and Tucson Police Department (TPD) officers who are part of the Counter Narcotics Alliance (CNA).

The investigation began in 2017 when HSI special agents and TPD officers discovered that UPS employees in the Tucson area were allegedly using the UPS distribution network to ship illegal drugs and other contraband. UPS employees were reportedly able to ship packages undetected across the country by using closed business accounts. Specifically, between November 2018 and June 2019, undercover officers shipped and received packages, supposedly containing illegal drugs and illegal drug proceeds, by routing them through the shipment center in Tucson.

As alleged in the indictment, in May 2019, law enforcement officers learned that marijuana had been shipped from Tucson, intended for delivery at a North Carolina destination. HSI agents interdicted the package in Shreveport, Louisiana, and the shipment purportedly contained 12.6 pounds of marijuana.

As part of their investigation, officers also identified four of the defendants as allegedly being involved in the manufacture and the sale of thousands of counterfeit THC vape pens.

Here are the names of the defendants indicted and their charges.*

Mario Arvisu Barcelo, 49

10 Counts of Attempted Transport for Sale or Import into this State or Offer to Transport for Sale or Import into this State, Sell Transfer or Offer to Sell or Transfer of Cocaine

13 Counts of Money Laundering in the Second Degree

1 Count of Transportation for Sale or Import into this State or Offer to Transport for Sale or Import into this State, Sell Transfer or Offer to Sell or Transfer of Marijuana

1 Count of Use of a Wire Communication or Electronic Communication in a Drug Related Transaction

1 Count of Conspiracy

1 Count of Illegally Conducting an Enterprise

Victor Manuel Alexander Molina, 32

3 Counts of Attempted Transport for Sale or Import into this State or Offer to Transport for Sale or Import into this State, Sell Transfer or Offer to Sell or Transfer of Cocaine

3 Counts of Money Laundering in the Second Degree

1 Count of Use of a Wire Communication or Electronic Communication in a Drug Related Transaction

1 Count of Conspiracy

1 Count of Illegally Conducting an Enterprise

Michael Anthony Castro, 34

4 Counts of Attempted Transport for Sale or Import into this State or Offer to Transport for Sale or Import into this State, Sell Transfer or Offer to Sell or Transfer of Cocaine

4 Counts of Money Laundering in the Second Degree

1 Count of Use of a Wire Communication or Electronic Communication in a Drug Related Transaction

1 Count of Conspiracy

1 Count of Illegally Conducting an Enterprise

Martin Octavio Siqueiros-Diaz, 31

7 Counts of Attempted Transport for Sale or Import into this State or Offer to Transport for Sale or Import into this State, Sell Transfer or Offer to Sell or Transfer of Cocaine

7 Counts of Money Laundering in the Second Degree

1 Count of Transport for Sale or Import into this State or Offer to Transport for Sale or Import into this State, Sell Transfer or Offer to Sell or Transfer of Marijuana

1 Count of Use of a Wire Communication or Electronic Communication in a Drug Related Transaction

1 Count of Conspiracy

1 Count of Illegally Conducting an Enterprise

Jonathan Sanchez Gallegos, 26

1 Count of Attempted Transport for Sale or Import into this State or Offer to Transport for Sale or Import into this State, Sell Transfer or Offer to Sell or Transfer of Cocaine

3 Counts of Money Laundering in the Second Degree

1 Count of Transport for Sale or Import into this State or Offer to Transport for Sale or Import into this State, Sell Transfer or Offer to Sell or Transfer of Marijuana

2 Counts of Attempted Transportation for Sale or Import into this State or Offer to Transport for Sale or Import into this State, Sell Transfer or Offer to Sell or Transfer a Narcotic Drug

1 Count of Use of a Wire Communication or Electronic Communication in a Drug Related Transaction

1 Count of Conspiracy

1 Count of Illegally Conducting an Enterprise

Gary Lamont Love, 40

3 Counts of Attempted Transport for Sale or Import into this State or Offer to Transport for Sale or Import into this State, Sell Transfer or Offer to Sell or Transfer of Cocaine

3 Counts of Money Laundering in the Second Degree

1 Count of Transport for Sale or Import into this State or Offer to Transport for Sale or Import into this State, Sell Transfer or Offer to Sell or Transfer of Marijuana

1 Count of Use of a Wire Communication or Electronic Communication in a Drug Related Transaction

1 Count of Conspiracy

1 Count of Illegally Conducting an Enterprise

Abraham Felix-Navarro, 27

1 Count of Transport for Sale or Import into this State or Offer to Transport for Sale or Import into this State, Sell Transfer or Offer to Sell or Transfer of a Narcotic Drug

6 Counts of Money Laundering in the Second Degree

1 Count of Attempted Transport for Sale or Import into this State or Offer to Transport for Sale or Import into this State, Sell Transfer or Offer to Sell or Transfer of a Narcotic Drug

3 Counts of Possession of a Narcotic Drug of Sale

2 Counts of Manufacture of a Narcotic Drug

2 Counts of Possession of Marijuana for Sale

2 Counts of Possession of Equipment or Chemicals, or Both, for the Purpose of Manufacturing a Narcotic Drug

1 Count of Misconduct Involving Weapons During the Commission of a Felony

1 Count of Misconduct Involving Weapons by a Prohibited Possessor

1 Count of Conspiracy

1 Count of Illegally Conducting an Enterprise

Fernando Navarro-Figueroa, 32

1 Count of Transport for Sale or Import into this State or Offer to Transport for Sale or Import into this State, Sell Transfer or Offer to Sell or Transfer of a Narcotic Drug

6 Counts of Money Laundering in the Second Degree

1 Count of Attempted Transport for Sale or Import into this State or Offer to Transport for Sale or Import into this State, Sell Transfer or Offer to Sell or Transfer of a Narcotic Drug

3 Counts of Possession of a Narcotic Drug of Sale

2 Counts of Manufacture of a Narcotic Drug

2 Counts of Possession of Marijuana for Sale

2 Counts of Possession of Equipment or Chemicals, or Both, for the Purpose of Manufacturing a Narcotic Drug

Raul Garcia Cordova, 47

1 Count of Transport for Sale or Import into this State or Offer to Transport for Sale or Import into this State, Sell Transfer or Offer to Sell or Transfer of a Narcotic Drug

2 Counts of Possession of a Narcotic Drug of Sale

2 Counts of Manufacture of a Narcotic Drug

2 Counts of Possession of Marijuana for Sale

4 Counts of Money Laundering in the Second Degree

2 Counts of Possession of Equipment or Chemicals, or Both, for the Purpose of Manufacturing a Narcotic Drug

1 Count of Misconduct Involving Weapons During the Commission of a Felony

1 Count of Misconduct Involving Weapons by a Prohibited Possessor

1 Count of Conspiracy

1 Count of Illegally Conducting an Enterprise

Thomas Alfred Mendoza, 47

1 Count of Money Laundering in the Second Degree

1 Count of Use of a Wire Communication or Electronic Communication in a Drug Related Transaction

1 Count of Conspiracy

1 Count of Illegally Conducting an Enterprise

Heriberto Martinez-Bojorquez, 24

3 Counts of Possession of a Narcotic Drug of Sale

2 Counts of Manufacture of a Narcotic Drug

2 Counts of Possession of Marijuana for Sale

4 Counts of Money Laundering in the Second Degree

2 Counts of Possession of Equipment or Chemicals, or Both, for the Purpose of Manufacturing a Narcotic Drug

1 Count of Misconduct Involving Weapons During the Commission of a Felony

1 Count of Conspiracy

1 Count of Illegally Conducting an Enterprise

*All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law. The Arizona Attorney General’s Office is prosecuting this case.

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