Date: March 26, 2025
Contact: [email protected]
NASHVILLE — Today, the United States concluded the prosecution of 27 defendants in connection with an extensive drug and money laundering conspiracy that operated in middle Tennessee and elsewhere between 2018 and 2021, announced Robert E. McGuire, Acting United States Attorney for the Middle District of Tennessee. The prosecution originated from an extensive multi-agency investigation of a prison-based drug ring, led by Humberto Morales, a Tennessee state prisoner, that culminated in a series of federal charges.
“For years, our office has worked diligently to break up this deadly criminal organization and hold its members accountable,” said Acting United States Attorney Robert E. McGuire. “These dangerous criminals who plagued our community are behind bars, some for decades. Thanks to the dedication of our prosecutors and our law enforcement partners, their day is over, and justice has been served.”
According to court records, as part of that investigation, federal law enforcement agents identified numerous U.S. Mail parcels containing substantial quantities of methamphetamine, heroin, and fentanyl, as well as marijuana, which were related to a largescale drug trafficking conspiracy being operated from within the Tennessee state prison system by Humberto Morales. The investigation, which included the review of the contents of dozens of contraband cellular phones seized from prison facilities, witness interviews, drug seizures, and other evidence, revealed that the conspiracy led by Morales operated in various counties in the Middle District of Tennessee, as well as in other states, namely California, and Mexico from at least 2018 to 2021. Morales and his co-conspirators routinely used encrypted communication services, principally WhatsApp, to communicate regarding drug trafficking, drug proceeds, firearms, and, in some instances, related armed violence. These communications included WhatsApp text and voice messages and drug-related photographs and videos.
During the conspiracy, Morales, a ranking Surenos gang member who was serving a decades-long sentence in the Tennessee Department of Correction in connection with a home invasion in Williamson County, Tennessee, arranged for and coordinated the delivery of kilogram quantities of the identified dangerous drugs from Mexico to California, using numerous co-conspirators. Those drugs were then transported or mailed at Morales’ direction to specific locations in middle Tennessee and elsewhere for distribution. Morales principally directed these activities by utilizing cell phones smuggled into the prisons.
In the course of this conspiracy, Morales recruited dozens of co-conspirators to carry out his scheme. At his direction, members of the conspiracy routinely sent wire transfers consisting of drug proceeds totaling, at a minimum, hundreds of thousands of dollars to Mexico – primarily Sinaloa, Mexico, and sometimes to locations within the United States, to pay for controlled substances and to promote the continued operation of his drug enterprise. At Morales’ direction, co-conspirators also wire transferred money to other members of the conspiracy to pay for the transportation and expenses related to the trafficking of controlled substances and the transferring of drug proceeds using electronic services, such as Cash App. Further, co-conspirators deposited drug proceeds into bank accounts, purchased money orders with drug proceeds, and collected and delivered drug proceeds, often thousands of dollars in bulk cash, either by hand or by mail to other members of the conspiracy.
The conspiracy resulted in the delivery of massive quantities of drugs into middle Tennessee, as evidenced by numerous drug seizures of kilogram quantities of methamphetamine, heroin and fentanyl during the investigation and by messages reviewed by investigators detailing discussions among co-conspirators about the drugs being received and distributed in this area.
Those prosecuted in this investigation and their resulting sentences include the following:
- Humberto Morales, a/k/a “Pelon” – life imprisonment and 10 years of supervised release
- Armando Lopez – 324 months’ imprisonment and 7 years of supervised release
- Jennifer Montejo – 300 months’ imprisonment and 5 years of supervised release
- Avigael Cruz – 264 months’ imprisonment and 5 years of supervised release
- Jose Alvarado – 240 months’ imprisonment and 5 years of supervised release
- Kevin Oliva-Hernandez – 216 months’ imprisonment and 5 years of supervised release
- Jesse Sanchez – 216 months’ imprisonment and 5 years of supervised release
- Jacob Lee – 216 months’ imprisonment and 5 years of supervised release
- Billy Cruz – 204 months’ imprisonment and 5 years of supervised release
- Phillip Christopher Smith – 204 months’ imprisonment and 5 years of supervised release
- Mario Garcia Flores – 180 months’ imprisonment and 5 years of supervised release
- Terrance Marquette Bobo – 180 months’ imprisonment in two cases and 5 years of supervised release
- Austin Dodd – 180 months’ imprisonment and 5 years of supervised release
- Justin Blake Lee – 168 months’ imprisonment and 10 years of supervised release
- Jairo Rostran – 156 months’ imprisonment and 5 years of supervised release
- Grecia Rocio Barrios – 156 months’ imprisonment and 5 years of supervised release
- Ricardo Davalos Martinez – 144 months’ imprisonment and 5 years of supervised release
- Kevin Tidwell – 120 months’ imprisonment and 5 years of supervised release
- Kim Lamont Birdsong – 100 months’ imprisonment and 3 years of supervised release
- Tiffany Messick – 84 months’ imprisonment and 5 years of supervised release
- Jasmine Taylor – 78 months’ imprisonment and 5 years of supervised release
- David Ku – 66 months’ imprisonment and 5 years of supervised release
- Oscar Avelar Anguiano – 66 months’ imprisonment and 1 year of supervised release
- Luis Ramirez Escudero – 60 months’ imprisonment and 1 year of supervised release
- Melinda Tidwell – 50 months’ imprisonment and 3 years of supervised release
- Stacy Owens – 12 months’ imprisonment and 3 years of supervised release, followed by an additional 11-month sentence in a related matter.
- Korrine Parker – time served and 5 years of supervised release.
Six of these defendants, who are native to Mexico, are expected to face deportation proceedings at the conclusion of their sentences. Two defendants charged in this case remain fugitives from justice – Erika Vasquez, a/k/a “Chula,” and Magdiel Pina Ramirez, a/k/a “Big Show.” Another half-dozen individuals associated with Morales were also charged and convicted in separate cases.
“With both law enforcement and financial investigation expertise, our special agents are uniquely qualified to partner with state and federal agencies with these types of cases,” said Special Agent in Charge Donald “Trey” Eakins, Charlotte Field Office, Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI). “IRS CI is proud to provide its financial expertise as we work alongside our law enforcement partners to bring criminals to justice”
“Postal Inspectors tirelessly work to rid the mail of illegal drug trafficking and its accompanying violence,” said Acting U.S. Postal Inspector in Charge Jessica Wagner, Atlanta Division, U.S. Postal Inspection Service (USPIS). “These sentencings highlight the effectiveness of the collaboration between USPIS and our law enforcement partners, and the commitment of Postal Inspectors to provide a safe environment for postal employees and Postal Service customers – the American public.”
“The collaboration between HSI and IRS-CI exemplifies the relentless pursuit of justice, even when crimes are committed behind prison walls,” said Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Nashville Special Agent in Charge Rana Saoud. “Together with our partners, HSI will continue to disrupt criminal networks, ensuring that we hold these violent gangs accountable, regardless of where they operate.”
“These sentences are a victory for the dedicated men and women in law enforcement, combining efforts of Federal, State and Local partnerships to perfect a case that will have a lasting effect in the community. ATF is committed to these partnerships in its fight against violent crime,” said Acting Special Agent in Charge Jason Stankiewicz of the Nashville Field Division of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.
This case was investigated by the IRS-CI, USPIS, and HSI. Several other law enforcement agencies contributed to the investigation, including the DEA, ATF, Tennessee Department of Correction– Office of Investigations and Conduct, Tennessee Bureau of Investigation, Tennessee Highway Patrol, Metropolitan Nashville Police Department, Clarksville Police Department, and Rutherford County Sheriff’s Office.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Philip H. Wehby and Juliet E. Aldridge prosecuted the case for the United States.
IRS-CI is the criminal investigative arm of the IRS, responsible for conducting financial crime investigations, including tax fraud, narcotics trafficking, money-laundering, public corruption, healthcare fraud, identity theft and more. IRS-CI special agents are the only federal law enforcement agents with investigative jurisdiction over violations of the Internal Revenue Code, obtaining a 90% federal conviction rate. The agency has 20 field offices located across the U.S. and 14 attaché posts abroad.