10 Indicted On Federal Drug Charges

July 28, 2010

A federal indictment has been returned charging ten Escambia County residents with conspiring to obtain pseudoephedrine in order to manufacture methamphetamine, United States Attorney Pamela C. Marsh, Northern District of Florida, announced Tuesday afternoon.

The federal indictment alleges that Eric Baker, 45, Soonduk Cassels, 28, Joseph Dimonte, 40, Ginger Farias, 36, Guy Farias, 38, Patrick Frazier, 30, Kathy Grubbs, 44, Donald Harmon, 44, Kevin Harvell, 22 and Nicholas Smith, 31, were involved in a conspiracy to possess pseudoephedrine to use in manufacturing methamphetamine. Dimonte and Harmon are also charged with conspiring to manufacture the methamphetamine itself.

The charges stem from a long-term investigation involving hundreds of purchases of pseudoephedrine from area pharmacies, residential search warrants, and cooperating witnesses. In addition to the federal indictment, state drug charges were also filed today against other individuals alleged to have been involved in the organization

The defendants began to make their initial appearances Tuesday in federal court before United States Magistrate Judge Elizabeth M. Timothy. A trial date will be set in the near future. Each defendant faces up to 20 years’ imprisonment if convicted. Dimonte and Harmon, who face the separate charge of conspiracy to manufacture methamphetamine, face up to life imprisonment, according to the U.S. Attorney’s office.

This case was investigated by the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office and the Drug Enforcement Administration. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney David L. Goldberg.

Comments

One Response to “10 Indicted On Federal Drug Charges”

  1. Discussed on July 29th, 2010 7:58 am

    More good escambia children from loving homes!

Written by William Reynolds · Filed Under News