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Published August 17, 2012, 11:17 AM

Superior residents among co-conspirators facing federal prison

Law enforcement officers conducted dozens of controlled purchases of Opana and other drugs sold illegally by ring members. As part of the investigation, authorities also executed search warrants on Sept. 27 at 11 properties throughout Minnesota and Wisconsin. In those searches, they seized large amounts of narcotics as well as firearms, ammunition, and about $30,000 in cash.

Seventeen of Colton’s co-defendants already have been sentenced for their roles in this drug trafficking operation, while eight have pleaded guilty and are pending sentencing. Twenty-four of the co-conspirators pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy, while one pleaded guilty to one count of possession with intent to distribute controlled substances.

On December 21, 2011, Johnnie Lee Leddell, 31, of Brooklyn Park, Minn., pleaded guilty to one count of possession with intent to distribute controlled substances. In his plea agreement, he admitted that on March 28, 2011, he sold Opana pills to law enforcement officers during a controlled purchase. During the March 29, 2011, execution of a search warrant at his hotel room in Duluth, police also seized 130 pills containing narcotics and $2,940 in cash. On July 16, 2012, he was sentenced to 46 months in federal prison.

The remaining defendants pled guilty to conspiracy to distribute controlled substances:

On Aug. 9, U.S. District Court Judge David S. Doty sentenced Daniel Albert Amatuzio, 24, of Duluth, to 46 months in prison. He pleaded guilty Dec. 20. In his plea agreement, Amatuzio admitted that in 2010, he conspired to distribute at least 300 Oxycontin pills. On Oct. 20, 2010, during the execution of a search warrant at his residence, police seized 105 40-milligram Oxycontin pills from a toolbox, 27.7 grams of marijuana and $427 in cash from a dresser drawer, and 236.6 grams of marijuana from beneath the kitchen sink.

On Aug 7, four co-defendants were sentenced:

  • Kyle Richard Bergman, 23, also of Duluth, was sentenced to 57 months in federal prison. He pleaded guilty Dec. 2. In his plea agreement, Bergman admitted that between 2009 and September 2011, he conspired to distribute Oxycontin and Opana pills. In 2010, he sold at least 1,000 Oxycontin pills, and between October 2010 and September 2011, he distributed at least 1,000 40-milligram Opana pills. On Oct. 6, 2010, he sold five Opana pills during a controlled purchase by law enforcement.

  • Jeffrey James Boshey, 35, of Duluth was sentenced to 100 months in federal prison. He pleaded guilty Dec. 20. In his plea agreement, Boshey admitted that in 2010, he distributed at least 500 80-milligram Oxycontin pills, and that between October 2010 and September 2011, he distributed at least 1,500 40-milligram Opana pills. On four occasions in 2011, he sold Opana pills during controlled purchases by law enforcement. Boshey admitted he continued to distribute controlled substances after being released before trial.

  • Brian Troy Eastlick, 23, of Duluth was sentenced to 57 months in federal prison. He pleaded guilty Nov. 18. In his plea agreement, Eastlick admitted that in 2010, he obtained at least 1,500 80-milligram Oxycontin pills for distribution, and between 2010 and September 2011, he distributed at least 150 40-milligram Opana pills. On Nov. 10, 2010, he sold Opana pills during a controlled purchase by law enforcement.

  • Zachary John Hamel, 21, of Duluth, was sentenced to 52 months in federal prison. He pleaded guilty Dec 19. In his plea agreement, Hamel admitted that between October 2010 and September 2011, he distributed 0.5 grams of heroin and at least 1,500 40-milligram Opana pills. On three occasions, he sold Opana and heroin during controlled purchases by law enforcement.

    On Aug. 6, six co-defendants were sentenced:

  • Rindi Kay Koenen, 20, of Duluth was sentenced to 37 months in federal prison. She pleaded guilty Dec. 12. In her plea agreement, Koenen admitted facilitating illegal drug purchases by sending wire transfers to co-conspirators, including those in Detroit, Mich. Her wire transfers to Detroit facilitated obtaining at least 250 80-milligram Oxycontin pills in 2010. Between October 2010 and September 2011, she distributed at least 200 40-milligram Opana pills.

  • Veronique Zsazsaantique Muckle, 22, of Superior was sentenced to 52 months in federal prison. She pleaded guilty Feb. 2. In her plea agreement, Muckle admitted that between 2010 and September 2011, she obtained and distributed at least 1,500 40-milligram Opana pills. She sold Opana pills to law enforcement during several controlled purchases.

  • Brian Keith Portis, 22, of Superior was sentenced to 37 months in federal prison. He pleaded guilty Jan. 12. In his plea agreement, Portis admitted traveling to other cities to obtain the drugs and then delivering those drugs to street-level distributors. In 2010, he distributed at least 50 80-milligram Oxycontin pills, and between October 2010 and September 2011, he distributed at least 50 40-milligram Opana pills.

  • Cletis Bernard Portis, 31, of Superior was sentenced to 200 months in federal prison. He pleaded guilty Jan. 23. In his plea agreement, Cletis Portis admitted that in 2010, he distributed or facilitated the distribution of at least 500 80-milligram Oxycontin pills, and that between October 2010 and September 2011, he distributed at least 1,500 40-milligram Opana pills. Moreover, he recruited others to transport drugs from Detroit to the Twin Ports.

  • Eric Phillip Romero, 44, of Duluth, was sentenced to 88 months in federal prison. He pleaded guilty Dec. 2. In his plea agreement, Romero admitted that between January and September 2011, he distributed at least 1,000 40-milligram Opana pills. During several controlled purchases, he also sold Opana to law enforcement.

  • Nicolas Zane Worley, 24, of Duluth was sentenced to 32 months in federal prison. He pleaded guilty Jan. 20. In his plea agreement, Worley admitted that between 2010 and September 2011, he distributed at least 130 40-milligram Opana pills, and in 2010, he distributed at least 250 40-milligram Oxycontin pills. He also admitted that 105 40-milligram Oxycontin pills seized by police on Oct. 20, 2010 at the residence of co-defendant Amatuzio actually belonged to him.

    Other defendants sentenced:

    On July 31, 2012, Caine Ramus Starks, 29, of Duluth was sentenced to 144 months in federal prison. On Dec. 6, 2011, he pleaded guilty to the conspiracy as well as one count of use and carrying of a firearm during and in relation to a drug trafficking crime. In his plea agreement, Starks admitted that between 2010 and September 2011, he distributed at least 250 80-milligram Oxycontin pills and at least 1,000 Opana pills. On several occasions, he also sold controlled substances and guns to law enforcement during controlled purchases.

    On July 17, Ryan James Drickhamer, 23, of Duluth was sentenced to 30 months in federal prison. He pleaded guilty Jan. 30. In his plea agreement, Drickhamer admitted that between October 2010 and September 2011, he distributed at least 500 40-milligram Opana pills, and in 2010, he distributed at least 100 80-mililgram Oxycontin pills.

    Also on July 17, Brad Rodney Christofferson, 23, of Duluth was sentenced to 36 months in federal prison. He pleaded guilty Nov. 17. In his plea agreement, Christofferson admitted that between 2010 and September 2011, he distributed at least 150 40-milligram Opana pills. On several occasions, he also sold Opana to law enforcement during controlled purchases.

    On July 13 Rhonda Ann Davis, 25, of Duluth was sentenced to 52 months in federal prison. She pleaded guilty Nov. 22. In her plea agreement, Davis admitted that between 2010 and September 2011, she distributed at least 500 40-milligram Opana pills and 10 grams of actual oxycodone.

    On July 11, Justin Paul Johnson, 21, of Duluth was sentenced to 30 months in federal prison. He pleaded guilty Dec. 12. In his plea agreement, Johnson admitted that on Dec. 15, 2010, he distributed two 40-milligram Opana pills. He also admitted selling at least 80 Opana pills during his participation in the conspiracy.

    Other defendants awaiting sentencing and face a potential maximum penalty of 20 years in federal prison:

    On Dec. 20, Gordon Eugene Sharp, 24, of Duluth pleaded guilty. Sentencing is scheduled for Sept. 12. In his plea agreement, Sharp admitted that he distributed at least 200 Opana pills during his participation in the conspiracy. In June 2011, he sold Opana pills to law enforcement during a controlled purchase.

    On Jan. 19, 2012, Jacob Keith Nagle, 24, of Duluth pleaded guilty and is scheduled for sentencing Sept. 12. In his plea agreement, Nagle admitted that in 2010 he distributed at least 500 80-milligram Oxycontin pills, and that between October 2010 and September 2011, he distributed at least 1,000 40-milligram Opana pills.

    On Jan. 12, Jeffrey Lamont Liddell, 28, of Superior, pleaded guilty. Sentencing has not been scheduled. In his plea agreement, Liddell admitted that in 2010, he distributed at least 10,000 80-milligram Oxycontin pills, and that between October 2010 and September 2011, he distributed at least 25,000 40-milligram Opana pills. He also admitted recruiting people to transport drugs from Detroit to the Twin Ports. Moreover, on several occasions, he sold Opana to law enforcement during controlled purchases.

    On Dec. 21, Daniel Allen Stenzel, age 24, of Duluth, pleaded guilty. Sentencing has not been scheduled. In his plea agreement, Stenzel admitted that between 2009 and 2010, he distributed at least 2,000 80-milligram Oxycontin pills, and that in 2011, he distributed at least 1,500 40-milligram Opana pills.

    On Dec. 8, Krystal Lynn Willis, 26, of Esko pleaded guilty. Sentencing has not been scheduled. In her plea agreement, Willis admitted that between 2010 and September 2011, she transported at least 1,000 40-milligram Opana pills from Detroit to the Twin Ports. On Aug. 25, 2011, while traveling back from Detroit, law enforcement stopped her and seized 284 Opana pills.

    On Nov. 22, Dillon Phillip Beyers, 20, of Superior pleaded guilty. Sentencing has not been scheduled. In his plea agreement, Beyers admitted that between 2010 and September of 2011, he distributed at least 1,500 40-milligram Opana pills.

    On Nov. 18, Angelique Michelle Vos, 23, of Superior pleaded guilty. Sentencing has not been scheduled. In her plea agreement, Vos admitted that in 2010, she distributed at least 2,000 80-milligram Oxycontin pills, and between October 2010 and September 2011, she distributed at least 5,000 40-milligram Opana pills. Furthermore, from 2009 through September 2011, she facilitated the transportation of drugs from Detroit to the Twin Ports. She also sent wire transfers for the purchase the drugs.

    On Nov. 3, Ian Philip Stauber, 24, of Hermantown, pleaded guilty. Sentencing has not been scheduled. In his plea agreement, Stauber admitted that on numerous occasions, he sold Opana pills to law enforcement during controlled purchases. During the March 2, 2011, execution of a search warrant at Stauber’s Duluth residence, police seized 341 Opana pills and $3,005 in cash.

    This case was the result of an investigation by the Lake Superior Drug and Violent Crime Task Force, the Duluth Police Department, the Hermantown Police Department and the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. It was prosecuted and tried by Assistant U.S. Attorney Allen A. Slaughter.

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